HP: Raised by the Tonks'
by RedKross
Summary: Follow Harry as he is rescued by Andromeda, and given a better, happier childhood. Pairings to be added as they are revealed. NOTE! Manipulative-Dumbledore. Scheming-Molly.
1. Intro Arc-1

So this story hit me early December. Well not this story, but this ended up being developed because of it. This will be a combination of various Point of Divergence type AU ideas that came to me. But some things are of course to be expected. Like Harry getting a Harem, or something close to one. But that's for the next part. This part is meant to cover all the way trough third year, though I may change it to the end of second year. Not decided yet.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, this would not be Fanfiction.

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 **Chapter- 1**

 **1986**

Another new class to introduce to Transfiguration, this will be the new

Gryffindor's and Slytherin's. How Dumbledore would think it would make inter-house unity any easier was anyone's guess. But her job as a teacher is first and foremost to impart her knowledge. And of course, to keep the students from each other's throats. It's gotten easier.

The first few students trickled in and took their seats. Amongst them the newest Weasley. Percy, wasn't it? She took a quick look at her class list. And indeed, it was. The bell chimed and she took her class roll call before she started them on the first assignment. Matchstick to a needle. Not the most exciting of things, nor the most usable. But it was an easy and simple spell. Sometimes she felt a bit miffed about how so few of her first and second-year syllabus was usable for her students in the long term. While even the first year Charms syllabus contained spells that most students would use for their entire lives. As she walked around the Classroom and corrected her student's on their wand form or on their pronunciation of the spell, she noticed a smell that should no longer exist. The man of whom it existed had died just short of five years ago. No matter it's possible another one of these people are as lazy as him and have managed to produce it as well.

Though he began to smell like that in his fifth year. As she retook her place at her desk she remembered what it was she had told James and Sirius during one of their detentions in the spring of their fifth year. Peter smells like a rat nest with at least one dead rat, Sirius smells like a dog that has just walked out of the Black Lake on a midsummer day, and James smells like a wet berry bush. The look in their eyes said it all. They were animaguses. Though she could never figure out what form James' had. But above all else she was proud of them. They tried to help their friend, even though she was weary every day after the full moon if that was the day she would discover that they had been bitten and that it had infected them anyway.

And the class was over with. How time flies when one remembers happier times. Well, in personal events at least. Right, Gryffindor and Slytherin was the last class before lunch. And with that Minerva went to her Office and had her lunch. But as she finished it she started to see something.

She sat in front of a mirror. She was talking slowly. "If I.. or rather you see this. Then We must've seen something or come in contact with something that contradicts with the known story of the last few months. Please let it be that Black did not betray the Potter's. Well, that is not something I want to spend time predicting. So, whatever it is, return Harry Potter to one of his Guardians as soon as you can. He is placed at nr 4. Private Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. At this time, the only one I can recall that is still alive is Andromeda Tonks, Amelia Bones, And off course us. Me. You. This is an odd experience. Hopefully, you understand it. If not then, this have all been for nought."

Right. Now, what was that? Why do I care? We finally have a lead as to where Harry is. OK, third year Hufflepuff, when are they? Last class of the day. Good, good. It was not long before the class after Lunch started and she had to be there. And another class went by. This was a second year one.

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. As it was the first class of the term they were only reviewing some of the more notable spells they learned last year. But with children that meant that she still had to keep her eyes on them, lest they try to transfigure each other, and that would only have bad results.

The class ticked by as it usually did. And her locked memory kept ringing in her head. Not even when the third year

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws entered her class did she note that they were there. First, when the bell chimed did she come out of her stupor and took her roll call before starting them on their class assignment. They all knew that the odds of actually being done in class were slim, at least so early in the year. Teapot to Tortoise. It took some of the better students until the halfway mark of the class before they got it right. And she was again dismissing her class.

Only barely remembering to say. "Miss Tonks. If you would follow me please." As she rose and walked over to the door. The girl seemed to think it over for barely a moment before she followed. Her hair seemed to be red today. Odd, that was usually the colour she got when she was either embarrassed or angry. She could never recall the shade it was coloured. Leading her into her office the young girl looked around once or twice, halting when she saw a picture on the fireplace mantle. Oh, right. The picture was off her and Harry on Harry's birthday. With Lily and Andi sitting on either side of them. "Please take a seat," Minerva said as she took her own behind her desk. She took a closer look at the thirteen-year-old girl that sat in front of her. She was indeed a good Metamorph if she could hide her sadness so quickly. Andi had told her before Dora started at Hogwarts that she still heard her wonder about Harry at night every now and then. But now she was as if she hadn't seen that picture for the first time in probably five or four years.

"What is it you wanted to talk about? She asked as she looked at her. Her eyes changing from their normal dark brown to a light green.

"I wanted to ask you to attach something to your weekly letter to your mother." Minerva started as she composed it in her head.

"'The boy is with the Aunt on the wrong side'. Your mother will know what it means and figure it out from there." She said.

"'The boy is with the Aunt on the wrong side?' What does that mean?" Dora asked quietly as she looked at her. "It'll be a surprise," Minerva said with a genuine smile. "Alright, Professor," Dora said as she got up and left the office. Minerva sat there and looked at the door. Hoping as much as she had ever hoped anything before that what she had seen earlier was real. And not an imagination. She was not going to meet Amelia until Saturday. And today was Wednesday. Meaning that odds were that Harry would be safe before they started a search.

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So this is the first chapter, I'll try to update this and it's sister-like Time Travel story on alternative weeks. AoTH will hopefully be back by summer. It'll get a rewrite, that'll hopefully improve it. I had so many ideas for that story that I want to incorporate into it that I don't want to disband straight away. Anyway, this is it until next chapter.


	2. Intro Arc-2

Hello again. I've gotta say that it has been a fun two weeks with the notifications for this story. Even though most of them arrived in the first three days. We are at 28 Favourites, 47 Followers, and 5 Reviews. It's even been added to a community! I honestly don't know the significance of that. But I think it was nice. And all of this with only 658 views. I think that is a good follower rate.

Answer's to reviews at the bottom. Need to try and make a formula and follow it.

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 **Chapter- 2**

Ted was once again waking up as Andromeda got home. Her returning to work at St. Mungos was a change to their day rhythm that both of them were still dealing with. Especially in the two week period's she worked the night shift. It only allowed them an hour in the morning and perhaps four in the afternoon/evening. "How was work?" Ted asked as he fixed himself breakfast. "Same old, same old. A few minor spell damage from children that took their parents wands. Nothing that took much to reverse." Andromeda said in answer. Ted nodded that he understood when a tapping was heard from the window. Andromeda opened the window to allow a Hogwarts school-owl in. It dropped a letter from Dora.

Andromeda opened the letter and read trough the rather brief letter.

"What is it? Did she manage to get detention before the first week is over?" Ted asked with feigned exasperation.

"Hmm. Mom, Dad. The first week has gone as it usually does. Going over things we know. Getting used to being back. Nothing has really happened. McGonegall told me this though: 'He is with the Aunt on the wrong side'. I don't know what she means by that but she thought you'd figure it out. Love,Dora."

"Well, I can't say I know what Minerva meant by that do you?" Ted asked as he put down his morning cup of tea. "Aunt on wrong side. Harry, he only have two aunts. Me and Lily's sister." Dromeda said as she looked over the letter again.

"Not to be rude dear. But you are not his aunt. You are his third cousin once removed." Ted reminded his wife.

"Does it really matter? He will view us as his aunt and uncle anyway." Andromeda said with conviction as she made herself a cup of tea as well.

"Shouldn't you go to bed about now?" Ted asked.

"Perhaps, but I'll go and get Harry. You go in to work. I'll just floo in and say that I'll need tonight off. It should be OK, it's not like there is any Death Eater attacks." Andromeda said before Ted could get in anything else.

"Fine, I'll let you go and find Harry. But you should still take it easy once you get back. Working days on end can't be good for you. I'll see you sometime between four and five." Ted said before he left.

Andromeda finished her cup of tea before she headed up to the bedroom and changed out of the lime green robes of St. Mungo's and into some muggle clothes she had. A pair of jeans, a blouse and a jacket. A pair of dragonhide low heeled boots, and then she placed her wand into a wand pocket in her jacket.

When she was dressed she went down to make the floo call. She grabbed a handful of floo powder before she lit up a fire quickly with her wand. She threw the powder into the flames and waited a moment before she sat down and put her head into the green flames.

"St. Mungo's Hospital, Head of Magical Injuries Office," Dromeda said and as she finished speaking she felt like her head rotated a hundred miles per hour.

And as it came to a standstill she looked into the office of the Head of Magical Injuries office. It was furnished in much the same way as any other office at St. Mungo's. A desk at the back, the fireplace just in front of it and on the right hand wall. Book cases and cabinet's all around containing various books and other odd things that the Healer had acquired for their career or developed themselves.

The head of the department was fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it. An administrator, and not a researcher. Nor a truly competent healer. But he was better than most Department heads. He knew how to balance the work load, and he knew who was better with certain types of injuries.

"Hello," Andromeda said as she got her bearing's straight.

"Oh." A voice said and coming around the desk was the Head of the department. He was not that old, 45. Few become a Department head at such a young age.

"Healer Tonks', what can I do for you?" He asked. Head Abbott, was not a close friend of hers, though she was a friend of his good-sister. Well, sort of.

"I wonder if I can have tonight off. A family emergency have come up." Andromeda said, quick and to the point. If not partly lying.

"Of course. It looks like it'll be another slow and boring day, I'll see you bright and early on Monday." Head Abbott replied cheerfully.

"Of course, I'll see you then," Dromeda said before she pulled herself back. As she rose from the floor she dusted off her jeans, and the front of her blouse and jacket. Though a quick Scurgify was needed to clean off all of it. Looking presentable for the muggle world, and clean she headed for the back door. Across the backyard and into the forest. A five minute hike and she was at a safe apperation point. From there it was to a location in Little Whining she knew of that was safe. It was a fifteen minute walk to get to the house. Nr. 4, Private Drive. It wasn't much, same old boring houses, and the same boring people, they seemed like the muggle version of the Pure Blood elitists. Have to look the same as their neighbours, if not, then there had to be something wrong. At the end of the walk she arrived at the house. No car, that would mean that the house whale was gone.

Andromeda walked up to the front door and knocked on it three times before she waited for the woman to answer the door. It took but a few moments before the woman came to the door.

"Yes." She said in what was probably meant to be a sweet tone, at least if the fake smile on her face was anything to go by. "I am here on behalf of a friend. You seem to have a boy under your care that does not belong here. Not legally, at any rate. Your nephew, Harry James Potter." Andromeda said before she shoved her way past the woman and walked into the kitchen.

Andromeda took out her wand and performed an underage magic detection spell. Five second go by and she sees spots of light across both the Kitchen and the Living room. Then, she goes into the hallway and see the cupboard door is lit up better than any other part of the house.

As she kneels down to open it the woman actually tackled her. But her lightweight made her easy to throw off. Why did the cupboard light up like that. She opened it and saw on the door thin lines that made up the words 'Harry's Room' Small trails of blood ran down from it. Inside was a thin mattress and an equally thin blanket. One she could have sworn he had on his first birthday.

"You did not even bother to take care of him," Andromeda said as she looked to her side at the woman. But she seemed shell-shocked, incapable of doing anything.

"Sign these paper, and he will be out of your hair." She added as she took out a 10 page document that was drawn up to gain Harry's custody in the Muggle world. But the woman was as shell shocked as she was before. Andromeda narrowed her eyes in frustration before she quickly stunned and revived her.

"Sign the papers at the doted lines. Now!" Andromeda said when the woman regained her senses. It took her a few minutes to get her to understand and agree to sign the paper's but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. Andromeda would have made her sign it one way or another. The paper's signed she apparated out of the house and into a safe alley not too far off from a friendly law firm of her husband. The ones that made the document in the first place. It was barely past nine, so they should still be at work.

She walked into the office and found the lawyer that had drawn it up in the first place. It took them maybe half an hour to figure out the way things had to be done. He had nothing of importance at the moment and would check it in with a judge and get it signed and filed before school was out at 3 O'clock in the afternoon.

As she left the office she knew there was nothing she could do until she came by around 1. And that was 2 and a half hour till then. Well, there was somethings to do. She thought as she got home and started decorating one of the two spare bedrooms they had.

The room was not overly large, but it was spacious enough. A few minor undetectable expansion charms made the room be about as large as Nymphedora's room. A colour changing spell shifted the boring and drab red that was on the wall into the more vibrant and cheerful one of Gryffindor. Then the dark mahogany flooring was shifted to a golden hue. More subdued than the Gryffindor one, but still distinguishable. The window trims was changed into a bright blue, similar to Ravenclaw. The other trims of the room got the same colour. And then the door was left in its old dark grey. But on the outside she spell-ed back the old 'Harry's room' that she had made years ago when she first tried to find him.

Some old newspaper's were transfigured into place holder furniture, for until they could get proper ones for him. A bed, a desk, a chair, a wardrobe and a dresser. All neatly arranged around the room and coloured to match the rest of it. But as the sunlight came in trough the two windows in full she decided that the floor should go to the Black of Hufflepuff. Or else Harry could be blinded if he overslept one day. Then the vividness that she always liked about the house colours were taken down a notch, maybe two, so that it was more acceptable. And hopefully wouldn't shine during the night.

She hung up blue curtains on the windows. And generally made the room more homely as much as she could, without knowing the boy as he was right now. As she was done and walked down to the kitchen she took a look at her watch and it was just after Noon. A half our or so left.

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So this was chapter 2. Not too much happened, but a bit of world building couldn't hurt.

 **Reviews:**

Windninja, Barron Backlash, Jkarr, and desireejones- Thank you for your kind word.

ObsessedWithHPFanFic- Again thank you for finding the story interesting. And are you sure she did not do anything about the smell induced thoughts? Hint-Reread the last paragraph.


	3. Intro Arc- 3

Reviews- 14 Favourites- 44 Followers- 83 Viewes- 1,995

I think I am right when I say that this story is going much better than AoTH did at this point in it's writing. Both planning wise as well as from the statistics. Cheers for you guys being you. Needed to reset Chrome, and for whatever reason it won't let me use plain English as it's spell checking language. Hope that nothing is too wrong. And on a side note, if you see something horrible about my grammar then tell me. I aim to improve my writing so that's good to know.

Anyway, onto the story.

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Andromeda walked into the lawyer's office 5 minutes past 1 O'clock. It was done with quickly. Got a receipt of the payment they expected and left the office in 15 minutes. From there it was a simple apperation back to Little Whining. Then she walked towards the closest primary school.

Though it was not the right one she got the address of the one that the Dursley's boy was transferred to. And along with him their nephew. Another apperation had her near the school.

Andromeda entered the school building and found the headmaster's office. According to Ted, that was where all the administrative offices should be.

"Hello. I am here to get my ward. Harry James Potter." Dromeda

said as a greeting to the clerk. The woman took a while to look up at her and even then she seemed incapable of speaking. But a few moments later she did. "You want custody of that child?" the woman asked as her eyes seemed to double, and her pupils truly shrank to a quarter of what they should be. "Yes, He is my grandaunt's grandson. As the last living relative of his father's side, I've searched for him these last few years. After your system misplaced him at his aunt's instead."

"Of course, he'd go to his aunt. His father and his family were all drunks. Where's the papers? I'm not handing him over without them."

So the woman had half a brain. "Here." She said as she handed over one of her two copies of it. "It should all be in order." And the woman only looked it over once. Maybe it was a one-time thing. Did she dye her hair brown? She seems dumber than the

Malfoy's. "How drunk are you right now." The woman asked.

"None. Not had a sip for four weeks." Dromeda answers casually.

"Then you are aware you've broken a few speed laws getting here? It was signed at 12:18. And it is a 2 and a half hour drive at the best of times."

"Let me tell you a secret, his father's family are filthy rich drunks. Now tell me where he is."

"Fine come with me." The woman said as she got up.

As they walked towards the classroom Harry would be in all Andromeda could wonder about is how a woman can walk in such a tight skirt. It didn't even have magic to improve its stretch or comfort.

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Harry sat in class having just been handed his English test back. It was not looking good. He had got a B+. Damn it, it should have been dummied down to give a D-, shouldn't it? Apparently it would be the belt, and another week in the cupboard without food. The first English test and it was the first test they got back. Were their requirements lower at the beginning of the year? Yeah, if Dudley was anything to go by that would probably be true. Should have known that. As Harry wondered about this he did not notice that the Headmaster's secretary and another woman entered the classroom. Indeed, his dread over the matter had tuned out all noise around him so that he did not react until said secretary slapped him on the back of his head. "What is it?" Harry said as he looked up at her.

Though he wondered who the woman behind her was. She didn't look all that pleased. What was he supposed to have done wrong now? "You are her problem now, boy." The secretary said simply as she left. And the woman's eyes followed the secretary, she was muttering something under her breath until the secretary was out of the classroom. As the door closed she turned back to look at him, except he was sad now, and not angry. "Pack your things, leave the schools books. I'll enrol you at a school closer to where I live." The woman said quickly, though not particularly meanly. And he did as she said, his notebooks, and his pencil case was in his satchel so he got up and picked it up and walked towards her. She looked sort of funny to be a girl. All the girls he had met wore dresses, that or a skirt and a blouse. She looked sort of angry again. But he followed her anyway. The teacher, on the other hand, seemed to have other ideas. "Just what are you thinking uprooting the boy like this." He asked as he blocked her path. "I think that it would be best if he did not spend much time with his aunt, uncle and first cousin. They seem, damaging." She said. "They are his relatives." "And I am one of two other people that were on his parents will that have searched for him these last five years. That is your system's failure. Now, let us leave." The teacher seemed hesitant to do so, but he let them leave. Harry followed the woman as she walked out of the school and then as far as an underpass five blocks away. She did not say much, but what she did was odd. She said that she was thankful that they finally found him. That they had searched for him one way or another since the summer after his parents were killed. That he would be taken care of now. That last one scared him. Uncle Vernon had spoken of having him taken care of. But he did not make it sound like a good thing. Who was this woman? And she went on about that too when they saw the underpass. She was his grandmother's grand niece. Making her his third cousin once removed. Though she wasn't too sure about it, they could be fourth cousins, or they could be third cousins twice removed. She seemed to ramble when she was unsure about something.

As they entered the underpass she stopped talking. And when they were halfway trough she stopped walking.

"This should do." She said as she took a hold of his hand. "You will feel a squeezing sensation." She said before he lost sight of where and when they were. Though it felt like it lasted an eternity, they were out before long. A clearing in a forest somewhere. "Come on now Harry. Just a short hike and we'll be at the house." She said. And it was true. It took them perhaps 10 minutes to arrive at the house. But between the house and the forest was a huge backyard.

Though it was all rather vacant. When they came into the house she checked her watch.

"A quarter past two. Well, this have been a well spent day if there ever was one. Let's see, found Harry, got muggle guardianship of him. Took him home…. Oh yes. Show him his room." The lady said. He wasn't sure what a muggle guardianship was, though. He reckoned that guardianship meant being a child's jailer. Because that was what the

Dursley's made it out to be. So was this better, or worse.

He followed the woman as she walked out of the Kitchen and into a hallway that for whatever reason had a crossroad at the front door. One to the left and one to the right. But the lady took the one to the left and up some stairs and Harry followed her. He wasn't sure what to do. She had made them go somewhere else in under a minute.

Though he wasn't so sure about being squeezed every time he was going anywhere.

Up the stairs and he found a hallway. Again a crossroad of it. One going further down and one going left and another right. It seemed to divide the rooms and make them accessible. Yes, that was what it was. The house was too big to not have them.

Sorta like a school. Did that mean the lady worked for the Loony bin? Was he insane?

The lady showed him a door which had Harry's Room written on it in black, and red. "This is your bedroom, Harry. If there is anything wrong, we can fix it later OK? I did not have too much time to get it ready, and I couldn't go to a store and get any solid furniture. So it's all transfigurated

for now. It should last about two weeks or so. At least, that was what it did the last time I tried it. If things get too engaged, we'll just let you use

Nymphedora's room while she is at Hogarth. She won't mind. Well, not too much."

After she had said all she seemed like saying she opened the door. What was with the words she used. Transfigu rated? Nymphadora? Hog warts?

Entering the room he was baffled. It was large. Surely larger than the hallway meant it would be. But the furniture was also good. He'd take this transfigu rated furniture without any problems. And it had colours. Black floors, red walls, blue trims. It was odd. But it worked. And he had a desk. And a bed. And a chair. And a dresser, and a wardrobe. He walked over to the desk and looked at it before he neatly placed his things on it. He still wasn't sure who the woman was or why she had guardianship of him. But she was definitely not as bad as the Dursley's.

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That's it for this time.

Stormbrow- Yeah, Harry was at school. English Primary School let's out at around Three in the afternoon, at least from what I read. And she wanted to wait until the paperwork was done with. And yeah, I can not recall there being any either, considering we all thought the Tonks' where Harry's relatives ever since the Order of the Phoenix got out it's a bit odd.

If this chapter didn't tell you, I'll rewrite his Family history as I see fit.

Sakura-Moonshine-Hime- I update my stories in an alternative cycle. That gives me more time to write and have a bit of a life.

Desireejones- Agreed. Though unlike so many stories, don't expect him to end up with an easy street galore. I'll try for realism as best I can.


	4. Intro Arc-4

McGonegall stepped out of the floo and into the private living room at the Ossuary. It was spacious, meant to fit a total of 30 some people. The amount of grown adults + their wife's that the Bones had when they had built it. It was meticulously clean. And the stone and wood work was unpainted. But rug's and such was used to soften the stone. The main colouring's was Yellow and Black, along with hints of Red, Gold, Bronze and Blue. She walked trough the room and into the hallway and headed towards Head of House Bones' study. She knocked twice on the door and waited.

Amelia's "Enter." Was quiet but she could still hear it quite well. She entered the room without too much hassle. The wood panelling over the bookcases was a rich mahogany.

As was the desk. Though it was coloured red, vs the bookcases natural brown.

"McGonegall. Was there something in particular you needed?" Amelia said as she looked up from where she sat next to the fireplace. Drinking. Apparently she was capable of drinking while she had a child that was not even at Hogwarts age in the house.

"Yes, You and a handful of Auror's you trust at Hogwarts on Monday at breakfast time. Bring along Mr. Moody, his particular skills will be needed."

"Work… Of course. I'll be there, but I question that of bringing Mad-Eye. Why do you need us there?" Amelia managed to understand that there was something she was missing. Even halfway trough a bottle of fire whiskey.

"There is someone or something there that shouldn't be. That is all I know."

"Who? Did Dumbledore decide to hide Potter's boy at Hogwarts?" Amelia asked as she leaned forward.

"No, not something as such. I believe it's Pettigrew." "Pettigrew? Why would he be hiding at Hogwarts? Even if Black didn't kill him, then he'd be a holder of an Order of Merlin's First Class. He'd have no reason to be in hiding."

"That was what I was thinking as well. I'll let you in at 6:30. And I'll help you in your search. Though I think it best that your niece spends the next week away from you."

"I know how to hold my liquor." Amelia said resolutely

"You may, but that does not excuse this behaviour. You are her guardian. Your brother and good-sister are not on the list of guardians for her. At all. And they do not even live in this manor. Please, I do not want to fight you, Amelia. But she can't live with you if you are to be drunk every Autumn. Now, I got a letter this morning that may interest you more. *cough. Cough* We found your trip destination quite lovely Minerva. Thank you for the advice. Love, Andy."

"So you gave the Tonks' an advice on a trip to take. How lovely." Amelia said with clear derision. Minerva frowned as she looked at the girl she'd taught a decade and three quarter's ago. She'd been one of the best in her year. A Hufflepuff like most of her family. But she was a kind and generous girl. Full of life, even if she spent more time than she liked to see any student trying to improve her skills.

When she made the Auror's she'd been proud of the girl. When she was made an Auror Lieutenant, she was glad for her. And when she was made an Auror Captain when the war began in full she was worried. Now that girl was a woman, and she was not filled with life. Nor joy. All of it sucked away between the death of her parents in the spring of 1981, and the Halloween the following Autumn. Minerva snatched her glass and bottle out of her hands and tossed them into the fireplace. "You will pack your niece a bag, and you will come with me to the Tonks' and your niece will stay there for the next week. Otherwise I will be reporting your drinking habits to the Ministry." Minerva said. She had an edge to her voice she knew. But she did not mean to sound angry with her. After Lily and James and their friends, she was perhaps her favourite student.

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Harry liked it here. The woman who picked him up at school was apparently his cousin trough one of his Grandmother's. She was a doctor for sorts, or so she claimed. And her husband was a lawyer, he practised in both worlds, whatever that meant. They had tried to explain it to him, but he did not believe them.

Though he had just had a day of seeing magic being used. They had gone out and bought furniture to his room. Then he had watched as they changed the colour of it to match what he wanted it to be. Though his answer of "Like the room as it is." Did not seem to be what either of the two expected. But they seemed to be less and less surprised each time he said something like that.

He was a bit worried tough as it was less than an hour until they had company over. That never went well with the Dursley's. But, they seemed to be nice. She cooked for him, and they bought him furniture for his room as well as clothes. They could not be that bad, could they? No, they couldn't be. He had been given a pair of black slacks along with a white shirt, black vest and black dress shoes and other clothes, that he was to wear today.

They were enchanted to grow alongside him until he reached Hogwarts age. Somehow that was a milestone in a child's life in this "other" world. And that marked a change in bodily development. Aunt Andromeda talked a mile a minute about it though he could not understand much of what she said. He had not had science class yet.

But beyond that, it was fun staying here. Andromeda helped him learn English and Mathematics. She said that next year she would help him with Science and Social Study. While Uncle Ted would help him with History and Geography. If he wanted to exercise beyond what he would in school, then the two of them would help him as best they could. He sat by his desk when he heard three consecutive 'whoosh' sounds come from downstairs. He did not pay it too much mind. There were odd noises every now and then.

Though he did not believe he had ever heard that one before. Still, he had to finish his English homework before he could leave. It would be rude to not finish the homework, wouldn't it?

It wasn't too much longer until he heard a knock on the door. He did not think further on it until there was a second knock. He'd never had his new Aunt or Uncle knock on his door more than once before they entered. Harry left the desk and walked over to the door and opened it. There was a girl there, about his age he thought. She had red hair and brown eyes. She looked at him with big eyes. Why was she looking at him with big eyes?

"Hey," Harry said as he wondered who she was. Aunt Andromeda said that she was supposed to have guests over. And they were meant to be grown ups, or so he understood it as. They wanted to meet him, or so they assured him off, they were old acquaintances of his parents that had helped look for him.

"You're him. The-Boy-Who-Lived. Harry Potter." She said or did she ask? It was odd. And what did she call him? The Boy Who Lived? What does that mean?

"I am Harry Potter. Though I am not sure about that other thing." Harry said as he heard someone come up the stairs. He looked down the hallway and shortly afterwards he saw an older woman wearing darker clothes. Skirt, robes, blouse and waistcoat. All made of black and green.

"Mr Potter. Miss Bones, stop staring at Mr Potter. It is not polite." The woman said as she saw us.

"Yes. Professor McGonegall." The girl, Miss Bones said.

"If you'd like to come downstairs." She said more than asked. Harry entered the dining room with them and saw new additions to the living room table. A woman in her thirties, red hair, she wore navy cargo trousers, a white shirt and a black jacket.

The woman looked over as they entered. She was drinking a red and blue liquid from a glass. Her eyes looked odd.

"Here he is," Andromeda said as she gestured for him to come and sit next to her. The girl, Miss Bones walked over and took a seat one over from the red haired woman. Was she her mother? They looked alike.

"Harry. Meet your father's boss, Madam Amelia Bones. And your parent's Head of House at Hogwarts as well as your father's favourite teacher, Professor Minerva McGonegall." She added as she introduced him to the two women.

"And this is is Susan Bones, Amelia's Niece. She will be here with us for the next week." Aunt Andromeda said as she gave a pointed look to Amelia.

Amelia cleared her throat and said, "Yes, due to some unforeseen work. She'll be staying here."

For whatever reason the adults all looked annoyed by her answer.

"You found him where I alluded to?" McGonegall asked as she looked at Aunt Andy.

"Yes. How Dumbledore could ever have thought it a good idea is beyond me. Her sister of all places. I recall their will quite clearly, and she was specifically mentioned to not have custody of him."

"Perhaps they changed their minds. Few Wills last too long, especially during a war." Amelia interjected.

"True, but considering how she acted at their wedding. I don't think anyone was happy to have them there. I believe she told me later, that she only sent the invitation as a courtesy. She didn't expect her to show up."

"The young woman who asked when the magicians would do their magic tricks?" McGonegall asked. "Yes. She ended up seeing a few, didn't she? Sirius had a field day with her." Ted said with a smile

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 **AN:**

So this was Chapter four. Next chapter onwards, the story will hopefully get a bit more interesting as well as having longer chapters as more things happen.

Some replies to comments.

Stormborow- That's mostly my fault. Writing emotions in a manner that they translate well for the reader is not something that I am too good at. She was meant to seem focused on getting Harry and dealing with the emotions and such afterwards. But yeah, Ted and Dora will help balance her out- a lot.

Baby Hue- Thank you for pointing out some things for me to work on with my Grammar skills. As well as pointing out that what I thought was a nickname for Andromeda was most likely a dialect thing. *yikes*. Considering how often that happens in the books, I should not have been too surprised, but I was.

Desireejones- Hmm, not going to be much of a problem. If you did not read my AoTH story, I made a nourishment potion for it. And it worked on a Harry between third and fourth year. Pre-Hogwarts. Not an issue. Think it will be fixed before he starts in public school. Honestly unsure if I'll put him in school with Hermione or in another school somewhere. Both will be good in their own way.

And the rest of you, thank you for finding this story interesting. There's been some comments that there's been attempts at a The Tonks' finds Harry story before. But none have gone too far. Well, I hope to finish this one as it's at least a rather original idea, therefore my two TimeTravel Stories may suffer for it. Even if I try to be original there, it's going to be difficult as they are nearly a dime a dozen.(That is the saying right? Or the American one. A penny a dozen?)

Anyway, this is this week's chapter.


	5. Intro Arc-5

Amelia had not slept during the last night. She was still reeling from the reveal that they had found Harry. And then Ted had to sour her joy by bringing HIM up. We should all have seen it then. If we only had. Even if it had only been me. Instead, he proposed to me not even a year and a half later. We had talked about life after the war At Harry's birthday party for Merlin's Sake. But that was the past, now she had a job. Search Hogwarts Castle for a threat. With her on this was Moody.

While he had a personal connection to Dumbledore she was not comfortable with. She knew that as long as it did not have anything to do with Dark Wizards trying to become the next Voldemort or Grindelwald, that he would not discuss it with Dumbledore before the incarceration. Somehow she felt that was important on this one, even if she did not know anything about this search.

She was dressed in her Auror Commander Robes as they were called during the war. Brown, with vertical red stripes. The shoulder straps being golden. Captain's have silver ones, and lieutenant's have bronze ones. Beneath it, she wore black combat boots, grey cargo trousers and a white shirt with a black vest. Her monocle was tucked into a pocket on the robe for now. She left trough the floo to her office, arriving at 5:45 she was early enough that she could manage to get her people together. Only Moody had been forewarned, as he would normally not start his shift until 10.

And speaking of the man, he was in her office. Before she was even there. The nerve of the man. He'd been the one she served under when she got out of the academy, and she respected him. But he was not allowed into her office before she was even there.

"Moody, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Amelia asked as she walked over to her desk and took her seat. Moody sitting in the corner between her desk and the fireplace. With a clear view of the door.

"Considering that you asked me to come along on a search mission on a days notice, quite a bit. This is what we've got trainee's for, alongside the two dozen or so fully fledged Auror's we've got left."

"I trust you more than any of them. Besides, I've got use for that eye of yours on this one."

"Fine then, where are we searching?"

"You'll see when we get there."

"You finally got authorization to look into Black then did ya?"

Why did everyone have to bring him up? At least, Moody knew to not use his first name. Damn it.

"No, it's something else." At least, I hope it is. Even if it is Pettigrew, then I'll have to deal with another horror. An ex-Fiancee that is half mad, and that I still love.

"Let's get out there and ready the rest of the team. Of the five she picked out for this besides Moody, only one was actually one that was noteworthy. Lieutenant Auror Shacklebolt. Joined the Aurors Corps in the Winter of 1979.

She found them in Dispatch room 8 as requested. One way or another this would likely be her last operation in the DMLE, so why not be a little sentimental. She and her team had always occupied room 8 during the war. When she was given her own command Moody had shifted over to the recently vacant room 15, though it may have been his anger. His brother had been in the team that had occupied that room before.

"Listen up," Amelia said as she began to pace alongside the blackboard wall.

"We will search a rather large area, for a small thing. We will do this block by block. Floor by Floor. Moody will be given his own area to search. Any questions?"

"Yes, where are we searching. And What exactly are we searching for." Shacklebolt asked quickly but calmly.

"Final details will be revealed on arrival," Amelia said as she laid out the apparition rope.

"We will depart in Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One." And with the flash of light they were gone.

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Amelia was assaulted by noise as they arrived and they saw where they were.

"We are searching Hogsmeade"

"We are searching Hogwarts?"

And all manners of combinations. Though one wondered if they would search the Forbidden Forest. Not a bad idea, though it would have to involve The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. That would not be a fun day or week depending on how friendly one are to the higher members of it. It would probably take a week. Ignoring the dimming ruckus Amelia headed up the road to the Gate that closes once all the carriages have gone past it and doesn't open until there is a Hogsmeade Weekend staying open from 8'O Clock and closing at 19'O Clock. As predicted, they followed her. As she neared the gate, she saw Minerva standing near the gate as promised. And as the group had arrived she opened the gate to allow them trough.

"Can we get to know what we are to do now," Shacklebolt

asked in a calm manner.

"Yes, you are to search the castle for a suspected Rat Animagus. Believed to belong to Percy Weasley, though I doubt he knows that it is an Animagus."

With that, all of them went up to the school and in the Viaduct Courtyard, they arranged search Orders. Amelia and Moody will be at

Gryffindor Tower and search it. While Shacklebolt will lead the rest in searching the Dungeon's and upwards.

Meanwhile, one Auror will be disillusioned in the Great Hall, to await instructions from McGonegall, Shacklebolt, Amelia or Moody.

Amelia and Moody had reached the sixth floor before his eye saw something odd. "Definitely a rodent of some sort. Some form of transfiguration. Though I can't tell what it is exactly. It's in the common room, asleep I think." Amelia nodded her head in acknowledgement as they carried on up the stairs. They barely stopped as they approached the Fat Lady as they spoke the password mid stride. Entering it, Moody pointed at a bookcase filled with the odd books that the Gryffindors have left for the future

Gryffindors to use. And there on the top shelf lying on top of an old diary book. It was non-descriptive. Simple black leather, golden metal went around its's edges. But nothing else was noteworthy about it.

Amelia cast a stunner at the rat to make sure it would have no forewarning once they were close enough. The few students that sat in the common room jumped once they saw the stunner. They were confused until they saw the robes. Though they were still scared once they took note of Moody. Whether that was because of reputation or his looks were as good as impossible to see.

"Now, let's see if it is him or not. Eh?" Moody asked as he pulled the rat up by his tail.

"Do you happen to have something that can stop an Animagus from using their abilities on you then? Because I do not have the warding equipment to establish something like that on me. Let's take him to a holding cell and get it warded. Should be capable of reversing it then." Amelia said, knowing that an Animagus that did not want to be caught is nearly impossible to be caught.

"Fine then. Let's get going then."

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Amelia stands in the middle of the cell/interrogation chamber. The three warders that she had hired for this was talking her trough the few hiccups of the warding process. The stone was too degraded, meaning it would not last too long. Maybe three months. No matter how good of a gemstone was used to power it, it would fail within three months. Four if we are lucky. Meaning this would have to be done before Christmas. The rat was in an imperviused cage. On a chair. Within a second cage. Within the cell. The second cage and chair had Animagus warded cuffs to hold him in place. As a secondary keep. From her own knowledge of warding, something she was not terribly good at. She did, after all, study Runes on her own after her OWL's, and that just every now and then. There was a war, not much time for anything besides choosing a side and standing by your choice. Moody was coming soon, he'd keep an extra eye on the wards, just in case. With a final note that she should get things over with before long as they really doubted the wards would last for too long the warders left. She gave them a Token valued at 500 Galleon's targeted at the Bones' Family Vault before they left. And so she prepared the Rat on the chair and performed the reversing charm. One, two, and three. Peter Pettigrew sat before her. Barely inside the larger cage. She quickly fastened his arms to the cuffs before she charmed the ankle cuffs to attach themselves.

"Peter Pettigrew. Do you know why you are here?" Amelia asked as she sat across from him.

"No… No, I don't know. What is going on…" He asked as he looked around. Something was familiar about that woman. But the man in the corner was scaring him. He had a large electric blue eye that was locked onto him. Did they know? No, he was just a scared man that ran from the maniac that tried to kill him, he could still weasel his way out of this.

"A secret note made it to us that you were hiding as a rat in the Weasley family. Though we do not know why. Mind explaining it to us?"

Amelia noted that Moody gave a chuckle of a sort. He had managed to condense conversation to it. But she could not pinpoint that tone.

"Sirius Black tried to kill me. I thought that the entire DMLE was with him. It was safest to run."

"Sirius Black was captured just moments after your duel ended. He is serving life in Azkaban." Amelia revealed to him.

"Oh… Good. Good. Then am I free to go?"

"Yes. Yes, you'll be free to go." Amelia said as she charmed the cuffs to disengage. Then Charmed the second cell to go into the floor.

"Not so fast," Moody says as he walks up and search a quickly panicking Peter. Before long Moody bring out two wands. One short, belonging to Peter. Another average, with a bone handle. Voldemort's.

"Tell me first. Where did you get this wand?" Moody asked in a growl as he locked eyes with the rat. Peter stopped trashing as he heard the voice. It was difficult, but he remembered who it was. Moody. He had been afraid of the man when he thought them in Sixth year. Without more ado, he fainted.

"There's your proof. No man who didn't serve him would be willing to hold his wand." Moody said as he slapped both wands onto the table. He quickly charmed both the second cell and the cuffs to go back to the man. Amelia was shocked when she saw that wand come out of Peter's jacket. She remembered that the DMLE had a headache after they had cleaned the Potter's Cottage in Godric's Hollow. They found Lily and James' wands. But Voldemort's was nowhere to be seen. One of the leading theories had been that his mastery of Wandless magic had grown to the point of a wand being pointless. Indeed, the DoM had considered it possible Wandless magic, while more unstable than wand or staff based magic was also capable of being more powered. It was a fear that the MoM had endorsed for full. Any and all references to Wandless Magic was confiscated and burned. The only places it was left were the 'sacred 28' along with a handful of other families, the most noted being the Peverell's. Their England Manor having been vacated in the entirety of the last two centuries. Recalling said list made her angry again, The Potters, the only noted pureblood family to have a direct line to

Gryffindor himself along with the Peverell's. Excluded for their name being a common Muggle name. Though her own family was excluded as well. Even if their bloodline stretched as far back. But they were noted too much for being 'Muggle lovers' kuh, three half blood's in the last two centuries. Otherwise, their bloodline was pure. And only two of them had been born before the creation of that list. At least two houses on it would not have existed if it were not for the Bones'. She'd have a word with the editor, there was a new iteration to be made of it for next summer. To strike those lost in the war. That would be fun. Amelia had glee in her face. She would make Nott realise that she could still make life difficult for him, even if she could not bring him in for being a Death Eater. But now, they had the possibility of doing that as well.

"Tell me, Pettigrew. What are the requirements for getting the Dark Mark?" Amelia asked. She knew, though, that no matter how scared he is, that he won't let out secrets of Voldemort without a fight. Tough his fight would be psychological. A compulsion charm and a few drops of

Veritaserum should loosen up his tongue, and even if it doesn't work it should break him enough for a second session to do it. For now, it'll be up to Moody to do so, he was better at handling the slow melting of their nervous system that this tactic usually ended up with.

* * *

 **HobbyFarmer-** The reason it took Minerva so long should have been obvious in the chapter. But if not then I can tell you. Memory Charms. Some may call it cheap, but it is indeed possible. And worrying, I mean they learn the basic one 'Obliviate' in third year! There is so much potential for evil that I don't even want to know.

 **Baron Backlash-** Thank you for reviewing.

 **DesireeJones-** Education will be a point of next chapter. But Harry will probably not be home schooled. Public School and a (rather) normal life until Hogwarts. So no 'Crazy Genius, how the heck did you not understand this. It is so simple.' Harry in this story. Studious, but not to the insane levels we see in some fic's.

 ***START RANT***

There was a rant here. But somebodies feelings got hurt. Because having a rant with bold texts saying it is a rant was not obvious enough. That said, the rant may have only mentioned one story, it was the one that made the proverbial cup run over.

 ***END RANT***

Back on track. Yeah, next Chapter will hopefully have some Character Development as well as some talk about Harry's education. The chapter after will have an uncomfortable meeting. And the one after will probably have Harry's first day at his new School.


	6. Intro Arc-6

**Author's Note:**

This chapter takes place on the Wednesday after the last chapter. Just so that you know the timeline a bit. For those that have read this chapter before, I just added a review response. Doubt he'll read it. But we'll see.

UPDATE: 21.04.16

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K Rowling does.**

* * *

Harry enjoyed the last few days. Getting to know Susan was nice. Though she had a weird look on her face every now and then. It was odd. Thought she helped convince him that there was indeed a magical world. She seemed horrified by the fact that he did not believe that it existed. She left every morning, though, to go to school. But she came back really quickly after school was over. Though today she was late. Harry was not sure why, but the fact that she was late worried him.

Aunt Andromeda said that there was nothing to worry about. That she was probably just catching up with her friends. That just made him worry more. Would she want to spend time with him if she had other friends? Well, there wasn't anything he could do about her having other friends. So he should be the best one he could when she was here. Then she'd hopefully like him as well. The weird looks she gave him was hopefully not that she didn't like him. But for now. Finish reading this book on Transfiguration Introduction for the Young Apprentice. 1258 AD. Well, that was hopefully when it was originally written, otherwise, it would be weird that it was written in English. Though there were odd words here and there that even Aunt Andromeda did not understand. So, it may not have been translated properly. It seemed like an interesting subject. Making something into something else. It was noted that the teachings at Hogwarts started with turning something into something that was similar to it. Such as the Matchstick into a needle. And later on, a mouse into a Snuffbox. But you could do almost any transfiguration spell with anything as a source material. It just required more attention to detail, for not to say a higher understanding of the spell to do so. And it was only that way that you could master it.

Though it was noted that one should manage to do it the way the Transfiguration Master/Mistress told you to do it first, never attempt anything too far ahead of what you already know. As an example:

"Going from the 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' To the 'A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration'" was not advised as very little if any of the information in 'Intermediate Transfiguration' was barely in the last book.

As Harry reached the last chapter he heard the swoosh of the fireplace that signalled someone Flooing in. Knowing that Andromeda had arrived from work promptly at 5 minutes past 4 O'Clock. Meanwhile, Ted did not floo to or from work, usually driving or if he was running late he'd Appe-rate. So it had to be Susan. Harry quickly closed the book. The last chapter was just going over the key points of the book anyway.

Harry hurried down the stairs and greeted Susan. Even if she wouldn't be her friend for long, he'd, at least, want to be her friend while she wanted to be his friend. After a short discussion of what they could do, they decided to play tag in the backyard. It didn't last too long though as it got boring quickly with only two people. So they decided to go back inside and wash up and spend the last bit of time before dinner reading something.

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After dinner, Ted took him aside into his home office. It was not a large home office, but large enough. There was a table with a sofa and two chairs in front of the desk which had a chair behind it. Ted took a seat in a chair while Harry took one on the sofa. They had after all done this a few times, well if he were honest he did it almost every other day. He may not be directly related to him, but he was a child. He was an orphan himself so how could he not sympathise?

"Harry, you seem to be doing well. Is there anything we can do to help you anymore?" Ted asked inquisitively.

"But you've already done so much for me," Harry muttered. As he guessed, still shy around adults, especially males. He'd seen and heard him respond a lot more openly to Andromeda, so it had to be that, or that there was no one else here. Perhaps She should take care of these conversations? If he, at least, dared open up to her, then it should be possible.

"Well Harry…" it was weird. He knew that Harry was up to snuff with the academics, but he was not sure if he would be alright with the other students. Ted sighed before he continued.

"Harry, as you're doing so well. We thought we'd enrol you in the local school. Don't worry, though, it will not be until the second Monday from now." Ted looked at Harry as he said it, and there was a noticeable sadness that crept into him when he heard it.

"Don't worry Harry, it'll be fine. You can do well and there will be no consequences." Ted added to try to tell the young boy that there would not be any consequences. While most of the sadness went away, it seemed to be replaced with confusion.

"Come on now. It's not much longer until bed time, so go and have fun with Susan." Ted said cheerily as he got up. While he went he wondered how easily the conversation to come would be. While Andromeda was one of the better mind healers at St. Mungo's, she was not exactly known for her bedside manners, so to speak. No, most people would prefer if she had an 'advisory' role in their healing process. Which she tended to abuse and have their ailments healed in a week, but their mentality scarred for a year.

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Sirius laid in his cell. The grub that passed for food laid half eaten by the cell door. Tasteless. The human guards were patrolling so as to allow the prisoners the capability to eat. But the presence of the Dementor's still lingered. If he stayed here much longer he would no doubt crack, crack like they wanted him to. As she no doubt wanted him to. But he had to hold on. If there was any deity in this world, then surely he would be allowed to take care of Harry. If nothing else. He had to be allowed to do that. The question was, who would, in the end, take care of who?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

So I was not sure if I'd get a chapter done for today. But it seems like I managed to do it. So I've read up on fragmented sentences, as well as Run-On Sentences. While I think I understand what I have to do fix it, I doubt I'll get it right away, so I'll just have to test it as best I can while going trough the next few chapters and hope that I've improved enough by the time we get to Hogwarts.

 **NoNeedForAName:** I know that, it's just me relying too much on Spell Checkers... Seeing as they are all legitimate words and all, it won't tell me to check it. Though that just means that I need to go over the chapters bit for bit and make sure that there are no accidental word shifts. As I usually type somewhere around 10 words per 5 minutes(as an average, I peak at 65), and I typed that scene in an hour or so. Therefore mistakes were made, that I'll do my best to proofread for in the future.

Never had much of an issue with word shifts before. Usually just misspelled and easily fixed. Now I know to look out for this as well. Should probably start looking for a beta to help me with this though.

 **YOU TROLL:** OK, so I flamed... At least I review under my own username, even if it is not too often that I do so. And no I did not flame, that story was the one that made the proverbial cup flow over. And no, it is not. I am guilty of it myself but the Harry Potter Fandom is overflowing with TimeTravel Stories and genius Harry Stories. I have no idea what SH12 means, so I'm cool. As for the rest, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you find it a waste to read, then why did you go trough five chapters? Besides, my spelling mistakes were at least actual words(Right? I don't have any actual spelling mistakes in here?). I've never heard of a 'writter' before.

The rest of you, Thank you for your kind reviews.

Here's his full review- seeing as I got it in my e-mail, but it was gone by the time I checked the reviews for the story I decided to add it.

Now you flamed a unknown story in a story note and a flamed a writter  
Please do not do this it's trollish if the writter of that story see that note well go on put your self in there place.  
If you do not like a story, then do not read, but do not bash it, just back click, Now someone has write a story and then post it,  
For you to bash it is not one would you like it if I bash your story and pointed out if full of spell error (which it is) and then called it a SH12 and waste of my time to read  
No you would not like this so do not do this to other writters

I would have review and try to help you with your writting but I not becuse Trolls do not get review one less reader


	7. Intro Arc-7

Hello folks, I have sent this chapter trough Grammarly, OnlineTextEditor and Hemmingway Editor. It picked out a few issues here and there. I have not managed to fix all of the Passive voices or the adverbs. The adverbs were just weird with trying to change. But that is probably just my understanding of it.

Anyways. Onto the story.

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These last five days had been a roller-coaster of emotions. First finding Pettigrew, then the wand. From there everything changed. She contacted a friend in the DoM, Wyern, he had some information to give upon reviewing the wand. Too much time had passed for most spell revealing charms to work. But the one he used did indeed give the last ten spells performed. Three sets of 'Avada Kadavra', a knockback jinx, a blasting hex, two rather mundane charms, and two charms that while done apart would not cause much concern, but this charm also revealed the time between the charms. Those two and a curse is the core of a preparation ritual. A ritual to separate a part of one's soul and imbue it into an object. Wyern had spent the entirety of yesterday reviewing the information he got when he forced out information the wand had from that ritual. It pointed to at least five. Hero the Foul had created two, and he was thought to be mad. And they had spent yesterday talking over what You-Know-Who would have made into Horcruxes. But as anything could be made into it, they had not got any closer. It was at the end of his shift that Moody had come to her office to give his rapport that she found herself in this predicament.

He wondered if she had been to Azkaban yet. Of course, she hadn't. She could not face up to the fact that she had given up. But now there was nothing to delay it, she had to do it. Now before Minister Bagnold caught wind of it. She would most likely take it over and use it to regain public favour. Let's just forget that she was one of the ones that threw him in there in the first place. Five years of their lives, gone. Now if this damned boat could move any faster, that would be nice. Because even without the Dementors, it was cold out here.

It did not take too long before she arrived at Azkaban. More weary than she cared to admit by having to recast the warming charms on her robe. But she was whole. Now it was the Dementors she had to worry about. She was a bit frightened by the idea of casting a Patronus **Patronus** charm again, but at least, she would get her answer then. A quick Flick and Thrust and it was there, the grim. That alone helped her more than she would have thought it would only an hour before. She was greeted by a pair of Auror guards at the doorway into the facility, and they were of course startled by her sudden appearance as a visit from the mainland were usually planned weeks ahead.

"Section 88, subsection N8, Clause 58T- Commander of the Auror Forces will have unrestricted access to Azkaban Prison if it is important for an investigation," Amelia said as she stopped by them in the Entrance hall. It along with the Auror's quarters were lightly warded from the Dementors.

"We'll have to check you. Ma'am." The older one of the two said. Good. They did recall that much, always good to know that they knew all points of the protocol.

"Go ahead." She said as she held her arms out, her wand still in hand to continue her Patronus, but still gripped lightly enough to not be viewed as a threat. Though she doubted they'd use lethal force on her, it was better to be safe than sorry. She'd been that for long enough now. If that boat ride had not made her realise how pathetic she had behaved, then nothing ever would. They cast a few revealing charms on her. Imperious and Polyjuice, standard procedure. Though it would most likely not be efficient enough for too much longer.

"You are good to go Ma'am. Is there anything we can help you with?" The older one asked as the younger one came to stand by him again.

"I want prisoner XY-396-15638-256-74-6912 taken out of his holding cell and taken here. No use of violence, And no Dementor presence at least as far as one can do that on this rock." Amelia said as she walked over to the doorway.

"Are you waiting for an invitation?" She asked when they did not move.

"No, it is not that. That prisoner is not in a holding cell. He is in Level 7 security." The older one said as he threw her an odd look.

"It does not change the matter, he will be taken her to be taken to an off-site location to regain a sense of self before being questioned. Any leak of this and I will have your badges do you understand your tasks?" Amelia asked as she looked them over. The young one seemed self-assured as if nothing could touch him. While the older one seemed as if he knew what was going on but had no plan to tell anyone, not even his partner.

They walked trough the hallways quickly and arrived at the level 7 security wings. The Dementor's were quickly kept at bay by their Patronus charms while working at the Island was considered the death of one's career the only requirement was the ability to cast a powerful Patronus while in the presence of 25 Dementor's. Her own was barely able to be perfect around twenty, but it added enough power to the other two's to make it a lot more comfortable for them.

They stopped in front of the cell that apparently was Sirius', he laid there slumped against the wall on his bed. Vacant eyes, a vacant but sad and resigned face. It was his work face, focus on nothing-see everything. Perceive everything, see nothing, which meant that he thought she was here to do something completely different. Amelia entered the cell and helped him to his feet as gently as he could while he pretended to be brain dead. If he truly wasn't then he would have so many stinging hexes across his body that he'd wish he was.

They arrived at the Entrance Hall, which was a lot more free from the cold of the Dementor's now after a ten-minute walk. "Fetch the things he was brought in with. I will need to review them so get him a release kit as well." Amelia said to the two. The younger one was sent to get the release kit. While the older one went for his things.

Sirius twisted free almost immediately after the two men were gone. He stumbled and fell down to the floor. It was probably the most he had moved in five years.

"What are you planning Ami?" Sirius asked when he rolled around and looked at her. His grey eyes were not shining with mischief, nor were they hardened with determination. They seemed broken, lost. His face showed that he had aged more than he should have, he looked older than she did before she applied her handful of beautifying charms every morning.

"I am working on getting you out of here." She said as she sat down next to him.

"Why now? I heard that you made Commander the spring after I was put in here. That would be at least a year ago. Why now? What changed?"

"Siri… I am not proud of it, but I thought you did it. I thought you betrayed them. I can not say how sorry I am, but evidence has been found that proved you are innocent." Amelia said, she felt her eyes tear up as she went.

"Evidence? What evidence? There was nothing proving that I wasn't the Secret Keeper. No one knew. That was the plan!" Sirius said with urgency. He laid there for half a minute mouthing everything he was thinking. A habit he must've made to not forget how to speak entirely.

'Pettigrew' he mouthed just before he tried to climb back onto his feet. His muscles were still weak. Amelia took a hold of him under the shoulders and kept him stable.

"Tell me that you have him… I want him dead even if it's the last thing I do! Ami, tell me." Sirius said frantically as his eyes went everywhere as if he was there hidden in a box awaiting his execution.

"We have him." She thought was enough for now. She had hoped he had managed to hold on more than this. He should have, few in the Corps had managed to beat his Occulumency shields. And the hole that they had used were usually fixed within a week. He was not a natural Occulumens, but he knew it better than most. "Good, I think I want him to taste a bit of this hell before I kill him." He said before he leaned onto her. As his legs buckled his head laid on her shoulder instead of her head. The two guards came back with the things and put it down before heading outside for a bit while she charmed the clothes to change places. The small bag with his belongings was, of course, charmed shut, and it had a new counter charm as an Auror had been jailed.

Then came the long trip back to shore.

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Amelia had managed to get them back to shore without any incidents. In a tragic sort of sense, it was for the best that Sirius was so weak. If he wasn't she would not have been able to think, nor would he have been so pliant regarding his desire to kill Pettigrew. They had walked off the dock and she double checked that she had a hold of him and that she had the bag with his things on her shoulder. With scarcely a warning of 'Apperation', she apparated them to a safe house somewhere in Cornwall. He would no doubt tell her that Cornwall was not a proper definition of where they were going but that was what it was.

It was not a generous sight. It looked old and worn down, but it had been gone over by Goblins and fixed to work as an Auror's safe house. During their world war, it had been a muggle farmhouse, but it had been abandoned and thus made a great find for them. Remote and not within normal Wizarding travel regions, as good as no chance of anyone seeing it. Currently, the only ones that knew about it were her, Moody and a 's Brain Healer. The Healer's access would be removed once he'd done his job.

And Sirius was dry heaving as they walked. His body did not have anything to puke. She climbed up the steps with barely any problems and knocked on the door in a pattern of three's and two's until Moody came and unlocked the door.

"Took you long enough." The brisk man said as he stepped aside to let her enter the house.

A large front room. A staircase going up to the second floor. And a small kitchen area in the back, right next to a 'sparing arena'. She honestly did not want to recall why she thought it a good idea to let Moody plan this safe house. While it was not bad per se, it was definitely not somewhere to take anyone who did not know of his particular sense of decoration.

The second floor had Auror quarters, detainee quarters, a meeting room and an interrogation room. There was also a basement which had a small potions lab and held more than enough food to last for five years if need be with two people in each bed, in rotating shifts.

Amelia took Sirius upstairs and into the holding cell. It obviously had a reinforced one-way glass window into the hallway as well as a one-way glass door. No one can punch trough it or destroy it without magic. The room itself was not lacking in accommodations, probably because Moody improved upon it when she told him they'd take him here.

It had a bed, a sofa and chair with a table in between. A small dresser, and, of course, a small bathroom connected to it. Almost normal, if it was not for the black, grey and white colour scheme.

She put him down on the bed as gently as she could. He was indeed light, but she had not exactly kept in combat shape too well in the last five years. Better than most who got some form of administrative duty after the war, but a far cry from what she had back then.

"Ami?" Sirius asked when she turned to leave.

"We'll get you started tomorrow. Moody will be here, just ask him if you need anything." Amelia knew that was not what he wanted to hear. But she was still not sure what to do. She had to sort out her own mess before even bothering to try to fix them. Besides, she had a case to prepare. As well as an investigation to continue. It would take the better part of a month, at least if they wanted it prepared beyond reason. The silence that perturbed the room as she walked to the door was answer enough for her. She had answered wrong and what little hope she had of fixing them evaporated as she walked out the door.

She should have known that getting together with a co-worker was a bad idea, especially in their line of work. It was built on trust and loyalty, and of course, passion but any slight could ruin it.

"How did it go?" Moody asked her as she came downstairs.

"As one would expect," Amelia replied as she came over to the dining area. "You'll be assigned here for the next week. That should give me enough time to dig up enough evidence to warrant this without the need of using Pettigrew right away." Amelia added as she stood in front of him.

"Right. You and that guy from the DoM found out anything?" Moody inquired.

"No. We haven't found anything though it seems as if he performed some sort of a ritual a few short hours before." Amelia responded with the half lie she had prepared in case she was asked. Moody was known to be able to spot a lie, hopefully, he could not do so when it came to a half lie.

"Right. You should run along then. I doubt you'll work too well without sleep." Moody remarked before he left to go and check the wards.

She stood there for a few short moments and thought of this last week. She had found her Fiancee to be innocent of betrayal and mass murder. She had found her team mates son. She had lied to her mentor and worked behind the Ministers back. She was honestly not sure which one she was the most scared of or elevated by. It all meant something to her. Now to survive another 4 weeks of it. With those thoughts, she left for her home.

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Hey so, Thank you again those of you who reviewed in the last chapter. And that was Jkarr. Either really good or bad. No, no drops in Favs and Follows. And on that note, we've crossed 100 and 160 respectively!

So I'll probably go over the earlier chapters with those online tools over this week and hopefully update them when I post the next chapter. And just so you know I'm probably moving update day to Fridays.


	8. Intro Arc-8

So this chapter sort of went on its own. Seeing as I really don't want to write from a child's POV until we get to Hogwarts, I was left with a bit of a challenge with how to incorporate Harry's school life. But I think it works out quite fine.

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Monday Morning

Ted looked down at Harry. He was dressed and had his backpack on. He knew not to speak about magic as if it was real, at least, he hoped he understood it as he understood most other things. Well, there was nothing to do but to take him to school then. The glamour they'd built was rather good, it changed the colour of his eyes to a turquoise green instead of his normal Emerald ones, and it had been anchored on his glasses, socks and a pendant they had gotten him. All for reassurance sake, it did not hurt to have some backups.

It was not a far drive, but it took him in a different direction from work so there was that. A normal, now at least, primary school in Oxford. Dora had driven the teachers mad, luckily they had found a way to lock her abilities with a ward inscribed onto a pendant. But apparently she had fun taking it off and change something before putting it on again when nobody was looking. But for whatever reason she looked exactly the same in each school photo, aged up luckily. It would have been hard to explain otherwise.

Andromeda had luckily decided to talk with Harry. He had made more progress in the last two weeks than he had made in the week before that. Though it made sense, trust is built and all of that. But it still irked him that Andromeda had indeed managed to do it. Was it possible that her rumoured bad bedside manners were made up?

"OK. Here we are Harry." Ted said as they parked next to the school. He'd just have to bring him into the administration, sign a few final papers. And then escort him to his homeroom classroom.

It was all painstakingly slow of course as all administrators love it to be. But in the end, it did not really take as long a time as it felt like. When they arrived at the classroom he did not see many other children, it was still a few minutes early. But there was a brown haired girl sitting in the far back. She seemed to be reading, wonderful. Harry's first friend seems to be as interested in reading as he himself is. Please let him get another friend.

But the other children seemed to be talking to each other so that was probably not going to happen. He sat down in front of Harry rather quickly as he did not have too much time to spare. "OK, Harry. Either I will pick you up when you are done for the day or Andromeda will. OK? She will probably do it before she leaves for work as I have a few things to finish at the office today. OK?" He knew he said it rather quickly but it could not be helped as the boy simply nodded and patted him on his shoulder as if to say that he understands. He had to give the boy a bigger smile for that at least.

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Ted stands in the middle of the Wizingamont Chamber. The entirety of the Wizingamont is there. As are most of the Lords of the Wizarding world, a good few journalists as well. Amelia had indeed done the impossible with this case.

"Honoured Wizingamont. Honoured Lords. Esteemed Press. We are here today to delve into a dark matter. One of our Lords has been imprisoned for Five years, with no Trial. And some of our very own Wizingamont members, and indeed our Ministry Employee's took a part in it. Who are these people you may ask, They are our Minister Of Magic and the last Director of the DMLE. Millicent Bagnold and Bartimus Crouch."

"Who is this supposedly wrongly imprisoned Lord, Mr Tonks?" Dumbledore asked from his seat of Supreme Mugwump.

"That would be Lord Sirius Orion Black. Wrongly accused of being the Betrayer of the Potters." Ted said as he signalled for the Auror's to escort him inside.

"I am aware of the case Mr Tonks. I was the one who sealed it. There is no necessity of reviewing it. Now if there is nothing else?" Dumbledore said as he looked around himself, smiling slightly as no one stood up.

"There is indeed something else. Lord Black was incarcerated after a five minute mock trial by our very own Head of Government as well as the previous Director of the DMLE. Do you not see that as a miscarriage of justice? Even the most cruel and undeserving of the known Death Eater's was given a fair trial." Amelia said as she rose in her seat and signalled the Auror's to take Sirius forward and into the chair.

As the chains wrapped around him Ted winced in sympathy, he'd taken a seat in one once after a trial, the Auror's that found him after still made a joke of it, it would not have been so bad if he hadn't been stuck in it for an hour, and he needed to go to the bathroom after five minutes.

"Lord Black, do you consent to the use of Veritaserum alongside Legilemence?" Ted asked as he walked in front of the convicted man. He'd luckily gotten to shave and cut his hair before the trial. His hair right now is barely touching his shoulders. And his beard was gone, sans the goatee.

"Yes." Amelia signalled Auror Shacklebolt to step forward for the Legilemence part. Meanwhile, Moody stepped forward to administer the Veritaserum. Ted looked around as he waited for the Veritaserum to come into effect and the Journalists had already written down a scroll or so each.

"What is your name?"

"Sirius Orion Black."

"What is the colour of your hair?"

"Black."

"When was the last time you left your parents Manor?"

"4th of July 1975."

"And where did you go?"

"To the Potter's Manor."

"How long did you stay there?"

"Until the year after I graduated."

"So the routine questions are over and done with. We have established that this is indeed Sirius Orion Black. Now I have a list of Questions that have been agreed are not too invasive into Lord Black's life that you can ask Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore."

Dumbledore looked at the list and frowned. This was odd.

"Or we can hand it over to somebody else. Someone who have not been part in some form of a cover-up."

"No. No, that will not be necessary." Dumbledore said as he sat up and looked it over again.

"Where were you on the night of the 10th of August 1981?" Dumbledore asked.

"I was in my apartment drinking with Remus. Waiting for Pettigrew to come and get us."

"And why would Pettigrew come and get you? You were their Secret Keeper."

"I was not. Pettigrew was."

"I saw you. You were the one that was there.

…

"I believe you need to ask a question. Veritaserum has a tendency to need that." Ted said with a grin as he looked at the dumbfounded face of the Supreme Mugwump.

"Yes, sorry," Dumbledore said as he looked at the list again.

"When was the last time you had contact with Bellatrix Lestrange? Besides shouting matches in the 7th ward."

"That would be July 1976."

"So you have not had contact with her since she became a Death Eater until you were incarnated in Azkaban?"

"No. I had not."

"When was the last time you saw Voldemort?"

"January 1981. Skirmish in Swansea, Wales. You were there."

"Can anyone provide evidence, besides Black's testimony?" Dumbledore asked as he looked around himself.

"Of Course we can. Would you like us to bring it in?" Ted asked as he looked around himself.

"That would be very helpful," Dumbledore said as he rose to his feet.

"As this case is here in the first place because of the lack of evidence. Surely there most be enough evidence to contradict it."

The chamber had been quiet so far. Except for the expected gasps on hearing Voldemort mentioned. But upon seeing a man brought in with Anti-Animagus and anti-magic cuffs, the chamber got as quiet as one could think it had ever been while there were people inside it. But that did not last. The voices that spoke were many. And no one could hear what anybody was saying. Maybe except for the ones that sat next to themselves.

Dumbledore seemed content to allow it to continue. To the point where Amelia seemed to be about the get up herself. But then the Cannonball noise verberated trough the chamber as the second chair was placed behind Pettigrew. Of course around the chair were more anti Animagus wards. And on the chains.

"Now Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore, please ask the same questions you asked Lord Black. Except this time, it's Pettigrew that will answer them. But first. Let's ask the control questions.

"Is your name Peter Pettigrew.

"Yes."

"No."

Ted quickly put a silencing spell on Sirius before continuing.

"What is the colour of your hair?"

"Brown."

"When was the last time you saw your mother?"

"25th of October 1981."

"Now over to you Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore."

"Where were you on the night 10th of August 1981?" Dumbledore asked.

"I was in Godric's Hollow becoming the Potter's Secret Keeper."

"And why is it that I did not see you there?."

"I was Polyjuiced into Sirius. Something about a closed loop."

"When was the last time you saw Voldemort?"

"31st of October 1981."

"Now then honoured Wizingamont. You've heard the testimony of two men. Now before we proceed. We should probably ask our Auror here, if what they said was true or not." Ted said as he looked over to him.

A short nod before he handed over a set of duplicates of the questions with a tag for each of the questions that were true. None where x'ed for somehow being a lie. Quickly Ted handed it over to the Supreme Mugwump.

"As you can see, they have told the truth."

"Let's not get hasty here Mr Tonks. We need to process this. Ten minutes to discuss it internally amongst the Wizingamont." Supreme Mugwumpp Dumbledore said.

"By all means. Hastiness is after all not what My Hogwarts House is known for. Unlike yours." Ted said. Sending a blunt, but well-known barb at Dumbledore. Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore erected a silencing barrier between the hall at large and the Wizingamont and the Various Pureblood Lords in attendance. Ted took his time to look around at them.

Malfoy was not present today. Probably the only one of the year. But one of his friends were there. Crabbe. Looking over at the press side he saw that Mrs Lovegood was there, they were acquainted trough, Lily. Her Husband was definitely an acquired taste, to say the least. He was never sure if what he said was imaginary or not, but if nothing else one was never bored while in his presence.

Though at times, he thought it a bit too much. Luckily it was long enough between the times they met that he started to forget WHY he was not too interested in being in his company.

Unfortunately, there was not much to do while he waited, so he had to sit on his desk and wait, these wizards knew how to make one bored. Had a case like this appeared in the Mundane world there would be shouting matches until people's ears bled. But no, let's talk about this like 'civilised men'.

Also known as stealthily pay each other off until we get the desired result within a short time frame that nobody would be able to digest what was exactly going on inside of. While in the Mundane world a case like this would probably take a year or two, here it would take no longer than two weeks. And that was being generous. He'd seen cases be over within an hour and they would take at least a full day at court within the Mundane world. Suddenly the shimmer of the silencing barrier came down.

"We have reached the verdict. That we need more time to review this case. We'll take this week to go trough all available evidence in this case and the original one. And hopefully, we can put this behind us by this time next week." Were what the Supreme Mugwump said.

"And pending a full investigation of the actions of the Previous Director of the DMLE and our current Minster, the Minister can not enact anything without the consent of 70 Percent of the various Directors of the Ministry. Nor without half of this body's consent. Meanwhile, Crouch will also be penalised until the end of the investigation into himself." The Supreme Mugwump said before leaving as quickly as he could.

Ted was not sure what had happened, but he knew that it was probably the best opening of a trial he had ever had. Mundane or Magical.

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Monday Afternoon

Andromeda spots Harry leaving the school as she arrives. He seemed contemplative. They should have found him sooner before THEY could've made such a dent in his spirit. It was not as if he was not a spirited child. If he wanted to do something he'd do it, somehow. The week with Susan seemed to help him. The fact that she came over on Wednesdays and the weekend's helped as well. Hopefully, he'd get some friends here that he could see and talk to every day. Though it helped that Susan was a friend he could rely on when he came to Hogwarts, or so it seemed right now. She recalled how she and her sisters changed between being actual children and being Hogwarts students.

"How was your first day in School?" She asked with an easy smile as she looked at him. He had a smile on his face, not unlike the one he wore when he played with Susan.

"It was great. I didn't make too many friends, though. There was this girl that read a lot. She seemed interesting, but nobody likes her. Why don't they like her?" Harry said in a puzzled tone as they started to walk home.

"I do not know Harry. Some people are just afraid of intellectuals. But does it matter what everybody else thinks? If you yourself like her maybe that will be enough? Just think of what you would have wanted her to do if the roles were reversed."

"OK," Harry said with a smile seemingly already planning to try to befriend her.

Her own relationship with Ted had started in more or less the same way. She was the crazy one who read a lot. Meanwhile, he was the easygoing one who cracked her shell. She hoped he had a quarter of the success that Ted had back then.

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Tuesday Morning

Dumbledore sat in his office. That damned Tonks and Bones had gotten to Sirius. And even found Pettigrew. He had honestly thought the man had died. He had as good as no skills to speak of when it came to battle usable magic. He was mostly just stationed on the perimeter to apperate out the wounded if the battle got too hard. And those chains, there was a ward etched into them. But what that ward suppressed he did not know. It was all so hidden with all of those chains wrapping over one another that way.

Anyway. He needed Black in Azkaban. At least for now, if not then he'd devote himself fully to finding Harry. And he would not be nearly as secretive about it as Miss Bones and Mrs Tonks have been. Luckily the ward signal had fixed itself. He had no idea what was wrong. But as it had fixed itself in no more than five days, so then it could not have been something of importance. Yes, just the usual family spat that upset him. Nothing more. To celebrate he ate some Lemon drops. Now if Severus could hurry up, he had somewhere he needed to be. To be called Supreme Mugwump in that derogatory way that only Mr Tonks could manage to say. Sometimes he could almost swear that the man said mugswamp instead! The audacity of the man.

Luckily Severus arrived before Dumbledore started thinking much more on the matter.

"You asked for me," Severus said as he strode trough the door.

"Yes. Yes. I need you to pull some favours with some of your old friends." Dumbledore said as he steepled his fingers and watched the young man stand there completely unperturbed.

"It would not happen to be about what was in the Daily Prophet would it?" Severus asked.

"What was in the Daily Prophet?" Dumbledore asked as he looked the man in the eye.

The paper was promptly thrown onto his desk. "Sirius Black did not have a trial. A five-year-old Miscarriage of justice uprooted from the Ministry." And under it. "Peter Pettigrew alive, but a traitor?" And on the side, a small column that just read "Our Minister is corrupt." Each of these had a page number on them. Surprisingly it was just added to the normal paper, rather than in an additional paper.

This was not good, he had forgotten about the press that was there. And now that the public knew, he could not even smooth it over. Nor remove the press from the rest of the trial. They played this too well.

"Severus. If I give the signal, then you signal your friends. Black is not allowed to leave this trial a free man."

"That will not be a problem. I am sure the Malfoy's would want some new decor."

"I do not care what they do with him. Go. I have to prepare for today's trial."

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Thank you all for the reviews!

 **Stormbrow-** Amelia wants to keep it on the down-low, so that is doubtful. Not saying it can't happen. It just won't happen that soon.

 **Marenhide-** That will not be a problem. Or will it? I need some sort of replacement for their third-year shenanigans after all.


	9. Intro Arc-9

**AN:** OK, just a quick notice here on the top. This will not be a bashing story. While characters may not be prizzly white good, I will not bash them. Writing a chapter, and go it over to see where you can bash a character easily with a paragraph or two just for the LoL's is not something that I'll ever do.

That said, Dumbledore will be Manipulative and thinks that his way is the only way. You know like in Canon. Molly, not sure it is possible. Ron is a definitive. Ginny, maybe, maybe not. She can go both ways as far as I'm concerned. As so many other's have said before. Don't like, don't read.

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 **Thursday Evening**

Ted laid in bed and looked at his wife as she came to bed. "What is it?" She asked as she laid down.

"How are you holding up?" He asked as he looked at her. Her mask in place. She'd promised that no matter how hard things got that it would at the very least never be used in their bedroom.

"I'm fine." She said, and if he had not been together with her since before they had finished Hogwarts. He may have believed her. But as it was he had known her for that long. And he did see trough it.

"You're scared that Sirius will take him away aren't you?" Ted asked. It was the one thing that he had been thinking about himself. It was hard to think about in a way. They were not first on the list. That was Sirius, technically McGonegall was before them as well, but as she did not seem to be inclined to retire anytime soon they were first. Or that seemed like it was the unmentioned agreement amongst time.

"Yes… Ever since November of 1981 I've looked for him. I buried the idea that Sirius might have been innocent before Amelia did. What does that say? He was the family I knew would never look at me as if I was mad for loving you. He was the one that kept me sane, even if he was a twelve-year-old when I was pregnant with Nymphadora. And I don't want to hate him. But I feel like if we let him take Harry. Then all this time was... Wasted."

"It wasn't wasted," Ted said as he kissed her on her head. "If nothing else we've proved to Harry that he can rely on us grown ups. Wasn't that what you said last week?"

"Yes. I did say that." Andromeda whispered. "But it won't exactly be good for him to change where he is anymore either."

"Dear… Do you think Sirius will even be capable of staying on his own right after the trial? I went to his old flat to get his robes. But the place was, sorry for the crude word, a dump. He must not have cleaned since he got it. No other explanation for why it is so bad." Ted laughed.

"You're just saying that. I visited once you know. Though there were more clothes strewn around the floor than I'd like. It was not a pigsty." Andromeda said as she looked at Ted quizzically.

"Oh well. It was worth a try." Ted said as he hugged her close. "What I'm trying to say, though. Is that perhaps it is best for Sirius and Harry if they at the very least spend time together here. Sirius to get readjusted. And Harry because Sirius is a new grown up that wants to spend time with him. What do you think?"

"That it's not a bad idea." Andromeda mumbled from where she lay. Ted let a small grin loose. It was as good as it could get right now, and while that was not much better, it was better than how it was just a few minutes ago.

"He's cleaned up right?"

"Yeah. He's cleaned up. Shaved, cut his hair. Bathed and showered a hundred times. A day. Apparently they do not get water there. Something about the possibility of suicide by drowning in cups of water."

"Not funny." She said as she knocked him on the back.

"I know, but he is fine. There is nothing for you to worry about." Ted said as he settled down on his pillow. Allowing Andromeda to lie as much as she needed to on him.

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 **Friday Morning**

Harry was waking up. It was that same dream again. He's had it a few times now. A man that seemed to laugh off of anything turning into a large dog. And a man picking him up and putting him on top of the large dog. A woman stood in the doorway frozen halfway between shock, anger and exasperation. As if they did something like that everyday. A Man on the sofa sat there with a simple smile and seemed to happy to be there. He knew now that the woman was his mother, and the man that picked him up was his father. He did not recognise the other men. Though something told him the man on the sofa was Moonly.

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 **Friday Morning**

Andromeda is walking Harry to School. He was super excited because Susan would come over tonight. But also, because he had started to become friends with the . That thirst for knowledge did not exactly seem natural, even if Harry was her first friend no one had such a thirst for knowledge without something, more, as a reason for it. No, something was going on there that she wanted to look into.

"Have a good day Harry. Ted will be by and pick you up afterwards OK?" Andromeda asked as she sat down in front of him.

"Yeah, I know. Shouldn't you be going now, Aunty? I don't want you to be late?" Harry said as he looked at her Aunt as if she was behaving oddly. Which was true, she had not slept last night. And she had been given today off, as she would probably not manage to keep her head clear.

"I'll be fine Harry. Now, have a good day!" Andromeda said as she gave him a hug before she got up and watched as Harry approached a girl with bushy brown hair. Without a doubt how Harry's hair would've been if he was a girl. He had the best of both of them in him. Except the hair, he could've had his mother's easily maintained hair. But his father's colour suited him. Perhaps some Sleekeazy in his shampoo over a few years? That would most likely not even be her decision to make by tonight.

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Ted stood in the Wizingamont chamber with Sirius sitting, relatively freely on a normal chair, but still with the Magic restraining handcuffs.

Meanwhile, Pettigrew was still in his heavily warded bubble. Or that was what the press was calling it, unfortunately, they thought it was because he was Voldemort's right-hand man. So now he was viewed as a man who had all the capabilities of Voldemort, though according to Amelia that allowed them to think of another way to deal with him. Apparently a way that had not been used since before the separation of the Mundane and the Magical.

The Journalists were there at the ready. It had been an interesting week so far, and they had barely covered the first two days of events in the papers so far. And that was most likely for the best. The events of the third day brought to light how corrupted justice was during the war. It would be best if the trial was over and done with before then. He'd not like to walk in the Ministry when it did. He had already started to make enemies of quite a few people for making that come out into the light. On both sides, somehow. The wizingamont members and the various Lords took their seat. Malfoy amongst them. He had not showed before today. Does he fear the results of this trial?

Let's do a headcount shall we. Two. Four. Five. Eight. Nine. Twelve. Fourteen. Fifteen Imperioused Death Eater's in attendance. All of them seeming a bit too thick, even Crabbe and Goyle seemed thicker than usual. Unlike their boys, they actually had quite the bit of muscle on them.

Luckily he had Sirius' Wand, and Moody stood just behind him with the key. So if something did happen. Odds were that they could make their way out. There were a twenty Auror Escort on Sirius and another Twenty Auror Escort on Pettigrew. Unfortunately, Twenty were outside and the other twenty inside. If they were to attack, odds were there would be casualties, and he, Sirius and Moody would not survive. Ted quickly sneaked a peak at Moody. His right hand was on his staff while his left were gripping onto something in his coat pocket. Most likely his wand. That eye could see trough almost anything sans something Charmed to not be able to be seen trough. As that particular charm lasted thirty minutes and was disorienting it was probable that the supposed Imperioused Death Eater's robes had not had that done to them. The Enchantments on the eye would probably have taken Moody months to adjust to, but now it seemed like second nature.

Therefore, nobody would think to charm it to be secure from that. Nobody knows that it can do more than see trough the back of his own head. It became a lot harder to keep still as he knew that there were several men in that room that wanted him dead simply because of who his parents were.

Amelia sat in her usual seat as the Director of the DMLE. While the Lords had usual groups they sat in, they did not have a specific seat to expect every time they turned up.

Though there was a seemingly pointed hole in the Traditional 'Progressive Block'. A block of two seats. Where Lily and James would've sat, no doubt.

Meanwhile the Traditional 'Traditional Block' was more 'frayed at the edges' At least a dozen of them were in Azkaban, some of them even without having an heir.

"Welcome to Today's session of the Wizingamont. Let us begin today's proceedings by going over what we've learned over this very exhausting week." Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore said as he looked over the hall. He did this, every day. Wasting an hour or so by going over the 'cliff's notes' of what they've learnt so far.

"Let us begin with the Muggle Photographs and videotapes taken from the street. It shows the Defendant, Mr. Black chasing Mr. Pettigrew trough the streets. From the pictures and Video's we also know that they had a short duel that Mr. Pettigrew was sure to lose. We know that Mr. Pettigrew cut off a finger, one that we know was used to frame Mr. Black. We know that Pettigrew shouted out 'You did it, you betrayed them' during this duel. Words that clung onto the Muggle's minds. And was used as a reasoning for Mr. Black's incarceration.

We know that Mr. Pettigrew became a spy for Voldemort in the middle of July. And that the entire waiting period was simply because Voldemort wanted to wait until a time he wanted it to happen. All Hallow's Eve. What can we conclude from this? Mr. Black is surely not guilty of the crimes he was incarcerated for, but nonetheless, we need to put that to a vote. Lest we turn this into another farce of a trial."

And the Silencing barrier was up. As usual, Ted looked around the room. There he saw Severus Snape. What was he doing here? It had gone on for the last four days. And today he was here, he showed up the same day that Malfoy did. That could not be a coincidence. Had he managed to trick Dumbledore back then? Whatever the case it would not be good. As he swivelled back to try to read the facial expression of the Wizingamont he noticed a man with sandy brown hair. His face was more tired and more scared than it was the last time he saw him. But it was unmistakably Remus. So he had heard? Where had he been these last few years? They may not have been close, but that was mostly because the man seemed afraid to speak to anyone that was not a leader, or a friend. How did he even manage to make friends with Sirius, James and Peter like that? Where they partnered up randomly at Hogwarts? No, he recalled James talked about him after First year. And Sirius did as well. Maybe it was just how it was with sharing a dorm room. That and there were maybe a handful of paired assignments a year starting with the OWL year.

Looking at the Wizingamont and the Lords, Ted knew that this would probably be the last day. The Progressive Block seemed pleased, as did quite a few of the Traditional Block. Except the Imperioused Death Eaters. And amongst those who seemed the angriest were Malfoy.

The barrier came down and Two bubbles came forward over the Wizingamont. One labelled Guilty and the other one Innocent. They started to vote immediately. And it did not pass Ted's notice that while Dumbledore aimed at Innocent his votes seemed to enter the Guilty bubble. Meanwhile, the most votes were gathered in Innocent. Not by a larger margin. But enough that there was no way to say that they needed to wait until all available members of the Lords and the Wizingamont were available. Because that would most likely not happen in a while.

"We have a consensus on the matter it seems. Sirius Orion Black is from today forward, a free man." Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore said.

"And now for the matter of Peter Pettigrew, On charges of betrayal of an officer of the Auror Corps, and on the matter of implicating an Officer of the Auror Corps as a cold-blooded murderer. We will have to vote."

It did not take more than half a minute, but the votes were awfully similar. And again he saw the deviation of Dumbledore's vote, aiming at Guilty. But landing in Innocent.

"Well, then I believe we are done for today. Peter Pettigrew to be incarcerated in Azkaban's Level 7 ward for 100 years."

"Excuse me Supreme Mugwump. But I have to decline that. He has proven to be a flight risk, and we have yet to see how well warding an Azkaban Cell can be done. I move to have him put trough the Death Veil." Amelia said from her seat.

"Very well. Let us put this to a vote." When he heard it he was stunned, that thing- Was real? He thought it was some sort of ancient joke. But it was real? He knew that the odds of it passing now were almost non-existing. The progressive block would probably vote for it. While Wizards had longer lifespans than the Mundanes, 120 is not an age that is easily reached. And Pettigrew seemed like would have the rather mundane life span of 80. Though he would probably not be as sick or ailing as the mundane would be at that age. Execution would be better than spending 60 years in a literal living hell. He was not too surprised that the Traditional Block were divided on it. On one side, he was a half-blood. On the other side, he was a Death Eater. But in the end, the votes went for Pettigrew to be incarcerated. "Very well, as the incarceration of Pettigrew is of importance. We will have to rebuild his entire cell with blocks that are made for the purpose of warding. My estimated cost for this is 50 000 Galleons. If we are first to do this, then why not do it properly. Hmm." Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore said as he looked around himself at the various members.

Fortunately, it did not seem like they cared about the cost of it, therefore, the vote was forsaken for the simple reason of time. These men were busy people, after all, drinking, spending gold on useless things are time-consuming tasks after all.

"Mr. Black, you are a free man. As a consolidation for your lost time and the more than likely painful stay in Azkaban, the Ministry will give you 10 000 Galleons per three months of your stay."

Quickly Ted calculated it. 12 months a year, five years. 60 divided by three is 20. 200 Thousand Galleons. That is quite a bit, probably the largest payout the Ministry has given to somebody wrongly imprisoned. Mostly because most cases are reviewed by Cadet Auror's and Trainee Auror's. But now the branch is so understaffed that Cadet's take days out on the streets as well. Meaning no one to review cases, meaning that even if Sirius's case was not sealed, it would not have been spotted in a long time.

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Sirius was escorted to a chamber off of the courtroom by Moody, Shacklebolt and Ted. He was not sure why, but it did not feel as good as he thought it should have felt. Was he free? Yes.

He was compensated for lost time and pain. Like that'd help with anything. He had to find Harry. But maybe, just maybe rest a bit first. Maybe. Get his head on straight. Five years. That was longer than he thought. Or had time since then seemed shorter than the time before?

He was not happy. There was still a part of him that hoped he'd wake up and see that it was a nightmare. That Peter would still be lovable doofus he had always been. But that was apparently not the case. James and Lily were gone. And apparently Lupin had followed. Why else wouldn't he be here? There was no reason. They were not a family of blood, but a family of choice. That was what they told him when they told them that they knew. And he had believed that he'd believed that right up until he knew how long he'd been a traitor. The damned rat had told Severus who of them pranked him when!

He'd been a traitor more or less since first year! Well, not on the big scale of things, but the come back's of those Slytherin's were not too nice. Most of them were mad at him for beeing a Gryffindor in the first place so adding pranking one of their own was just salt in the wound for them.

When they arrived at the room only Ted followed inside. And handed him his wand. His handcuffs having been removed in the courtroom. "There. Much better now." Ted said as he looked at him.

What were there to look at? He was so gangly that he had trouble to think it was him. A gangly long haired Charlus. Sirius had a small grin at the thought, James would've laughed his head off. That made him feel better. Remus would probably just stand off to the side and snicker behind a book. Lily would just be exasperated that I thought it funny in the first place. Meanwhile, Andromeda would call me stupid for trying to emulate her favourite uncle.

"We thought you could stay with us for a while. Until you get your bearings at least." Ted said. That was kind of him, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to share a house with somebody who wasn't James. Or Remus. Or Amelia. Well, adults at least. He remembered how bad it was when he moved in with the Potters after Fifth year. He and Andromeda was not exactly too friendly with one another at the time, he coudln't for the life of him remember why. But Dora was no problem, a bit too nosey at times. But a fun distraction from the woes of being a wizard teenager. Mostly because she was amused by almost anything, and laughing was fun. So Win-Win. Was she still amused by anything? Wait, she'd be at Hogwarts now. He'd not be allowed to see his Cousin off on the Express while he was not sure of himself and Amelia he was always sure that he'd get to see her off. Well, there was Harry now then.

"Should we get going?" Ted asked as he looked at Sirius.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll go by the flat and grab some things tomorrow." Sirius said as he walked to the door. Ted followed him there and they were escorted to a hidden floo fireplace. From where they flooed to Ted's house. Mundane, by the name at least.

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 **Friday Afternoon**

Andromeda stood by the school gate and waited for Harry to come out. She had to get out of the house. He said that he shaved. Forgot to mention he kept the Goatee. That he tried to look as much like Charlus as he could manage. Except he was thinner, ungodly thinner. Well, if he was staying then that would not be a problem. The problem would be how he would react to them already having Harry. That was one of the things that they had agreed upon. They'd surprise them, with each other. No problem. Just had to time it right.

Harry came out with the same brown haired girl as he met before school. They seemed happy to talk with each other. They said goodbye at the gate, the girl being picked up by a man with black hair and brown eyes. He seemed happy, but sort of resigned. As if this was punishment for something. "How was your day?" She asked as she looked at down at Harry.

"It was fine. Why'd you pick me up? I thought you should be at work now?" Harry said.

"I was given the time off. So, I came to pick you up instead as Ted had some things to do." Andromeda said. Like keeping Sirius from looking trough every room in the house, and keeping him out of trouble for the first time in his life.

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 **Friday Evening**

That had not gone to plan. There were no more than twenty Death Eater's out there apparently. And they would be no match to the Auror's and the Progressive Block. For not to say that even if they succeeded in killing Black, that it would most likely not do anything. And for that, he has gained a non-stop headache, most likely for the next few years. If not for the rest of his life. Well, the rest of the boy's life. It should not do for Black to get custody of the boy if he did then the wards would be removed and the timeline of events would not happen as he saw it. It was necessary after all for things to happen as he planned them, if not it would not be at peak efficiency.

That should be easy enough to get done, he had been in Azkaban for five years he could not be anyone's caretaker for at least that amount of time. Meaning that the boy would have started at Hogwarts, and therefore inside his own reach for nine months of the year. And since he'd need five weeks at his family's house that left barely three weeks for Black to do whatever he wanted with the boy. Mayhaps he could 'encourage' a relationship with a child of someone he knew.

Moody, he did not have children and as such would not be possible. Besides, he did not exactly see things Dumledore's way, they were aligned, but he preferred a more brutal approach to justice.

Weasley, possible- the husband usually worked 12-hour shifts, if not more. So that was no issue. But there was the influence the older boys could have. They seemed as if either of them became Head of house Weasley that they'd easily get their house to become a Lordship again. But the youngest two was still a possibility. Wasn't one of them a girl? Yes, he thought that it was.

Maybe a sneaked in betrothal contract would be possible, with the stipulation that they'd spend two weeks together every summer starting at Hogwarts age. Yes, that'd do nicely. He'd have to swing by soon and set it up. But until then he'd still have to pretend to listen to Snape's rant. Luckily he'd cast a noise softening charm on his ears before Snape arrived after him. Otherwise, this would have been a lot more tedious that it currently was.

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 **Author's Notes:**

There is just three more chapter's left of this arc, next will be summer before First year. Then First Year, then Summer before Second year, then Second year. You hopefully get the idea.

Review responses:

 **Plums-** No, They will be friends. But this story will get a time skip to the summer before First year really soon. So this won't be one of the stories with 50 chapter's before we get to Hogwarts, I like those stories until I stop seeing the arrival of actual Hogwarts things so I won't make anybody else to feel that way either.

 **DesireeJones-** He was, but as he is Dumbledore I don't think an implication will be enough. Don't worry though the wheels are starting to turn.

 **Kharma Kennel & Goose-** Yes, they are cliches. But then again what isn't a cliche in fiction anymore? As soon as something original is found it is used and abused to the point where you see it everywhere. I'm just trying to put my own spin on things. Weasley hate? As I said on the top, it will be reasonable and justifiable. No, I will not have Character X be 'reformed' for Y amount of chapters for X to start again. That is truly just beating a dead horse.

No, I will not have Character X be 'reformed' for Y amount of chapters for X to start again. That is truly just beating a dead horse.

 **NoNeedForAName-** I honestly didn't think much about Dumbledore being Evil before I started reading fanfiction myself. And after doing that I can barely see him as a good man. I mean, he put a 15-month-old baby on a doorstep on the night to the second of November. He did not check on him, and he more than likely knew of the resentment that Petunia had for Lily so there should have been some sort of a check up. Even after not having a single letter opened for a week did he go and check on him himself, no he sent Hagrid. Gullible Hagrid that would not think it strange at all.

And please do not make me discuss all that happens after. He is heralded as one of the most knowledgeable and powerful Wizards in the 20th Century. But he messed up, a lot.

And for the rest of you, thank you for the reviews.


	10. Intro Arc-10

Hello, everyone. I'd like to thank Ogreman for taking on Betaing this story, though I noticed first now that I gave him last chapter to beta... I need to stop being sleep deprived when I do stuff.

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Ted sat and talked with Sirius in the kitchen. Andromeda had luckily made Pizza, hopefully enough. Amelia and Susan would come over as usual, and maybe McGonagall. Too bad that she can't bring Dora with her. But it is what it is.

"So, how is little Dora?" Sirius asked as he looked around. There were a few mundane pictures here and there. Mostly of her, but some of all of them.

"You know the same. Getting in trouble, and paying half the price for it than anyone else."

"Suppose that is easier now. Rather than looking like whoever finds her after she's done something bad. She can just look like somebody else WHEN she's doing something bad. There is probably a reason for why I did not get to be a metamorph… I'd be in the girl's dormitory all the time as the most adorable first year and learn all of their secrets…"

"And now I remember why you and Andromeda fought."

"We didn't fight that much at the end did we?" Sirius asked hesitantly.

"You barely fought ever since you graduated. It was more of a general observation, she did not like how much of a pervert you were."

"Neither did Ami," Sirius said with a wry smile. "Thought I could be better than that."

"And you were."

"Not really, just stopped ogling every girl near my age. Instead, just ogling the one girl. All the time, it's a wonder we managed to do anything."

"Having James and your other team members near would have accounted for some of it I believe."

"Barely, there was a time we talked about doing it. But we could not figure out where was the least likely of being walked in on, or not weird for the two of us to leave together."

Ted had to shake his head at that, it really should not surprise him at all. But it still did.

"So, when is Andromeda coming back? It shouldn't take that long to go to the store and get whatever it was she lacked does it?"

"I'm sure she's right around the corner."

Luckily she was as the door opened up and it sounded like Harry went upstairs while Andromeda came into the kitchen.

"So, you were a good boy after all?" Andromeda asked in all her aristocratic glory.

"And what made you think I wouldn't be? Where's the groceries?" Sirius asked with a confused look on his face.

"We may have a surprise for you," Ted said softly as he looked between them. Andromeda could be a bit too much like her Grand-Aunt than he'd like at times. And Sirius was. Well, Sirius.

"Then why didn't you say so!" Sirius said with a laugh as he rose to his feet.

Ted followed as quickly as he could as Sirius began for the stairs.

"You had another kid?" Sirius asked. "But there were only pictures of Dora?" He added confusedly as he stopped and looked back at them.

"No," Andromeda said with that mask of hers still on.

"Hmm. It's a surprise, and it is not a kid. Thought I heard somebody come in with you. And seeing as you didn't bring groceries, wouldn't be unreasonable to think. Hmm, have no idea." Sirius said but as he started towards them he added, "But let's go and find out!" And ran up the stairs before they had started to react.

Ted was the first one up the stairs and saw Sirius stand there looking at the grey door with 'Harry's Room' written on it in a plethora of colours. The letters were not even allowed to be the same colour. Dora was rather particular about that, a single colour for something was the worst things she'd ever heard about at the time. And the clothes she wore at home proved that colour changing charm had been placed on them.

As Ted came closer the door opened and revealed Harry. He stood there and looked confusedly at the man.

"Laughing man?" He asked quietly. Oh no, they had not thought this through too well had they? He was still really quiet around adult males. Well, most adults that were not Andromeda at least.

Sirius seemed to get his head together and sat down in front of Harry and asked "Laughing man?"

"I had a dream once. A man that looked like you were laughing, then you changed into a dog. Dad put me on your back while Mom looked like she did not know what to do. Meanwhile, Moonly sat on the sofa and seemed to be happy just to be there."

Sirius got sad at hearing that but covered it quickly.

"Yeah, I suppose I am the Laughing Man, but I'd prefer it if you called me Uncle Padfoot," Sirius said.

"Why?" Harry asked as he looked at him.

"Because dogs have pads under their feet."

"No, I meant why should I call you uncle. Besides, your name is not Padfoot." Harry said simply.

"I was a friend of your father. He and your mother named me your Godfather."

"Oh…" Harry said as he looked around at Ted and Andromeda. And they nodded in agreement.

"Then. Then why didn't you come before now? Aunt Andromeda came and found me weeks ago." Harry asked as he bolted over and hid behind Andromeda.

Sirius seemed to freeze again. But it was a lot shorter this time as he looked up at Ted with a look that silently asked:

"Found him? Why did he need to be found?"

Ted cleared his throat before he answered.

"Dumbledore seemed to think that Lily's sister was a good place for him to grow up."

If it were possible Sirius seemed to sag down even more upon hearing that and started to mutter some things. Ted could've sworn that he heard him say "Bloody bastards didn't even kill him. Should've strangled him. Would've done something right."

Ted looked at Andromeda and saw that she was sort of fixing the issue. Explaining to Harry what happened to Sirius, Though hopefully the child-friendly version. He was still mad that Dora got her relations thrown in her face upon entering Hogwarts, and that was probably how she went from a Happy-Go-Lucky girl to a girl who was as likely to prank you as she was to say hi to you. Not a comfort to Andromeda or those that shared hallway space with her at Hogwarts.

Sirius got up and walked over to Ted.

"When did you find him?" Sirius asked quietly

"Five weeks ago. Sirius, you've got to know that he does not trust adults easily. Especially men." Ted answered, uttering words that he wished that he never needed to say.

"What… They didn't?"

"From what Andromeda says, no. Not that at least. But they beat him. Not just by his supposed uncle. But also by the headmaster of the school he was going to. A few other's as well I believe."

Sirius nodded in acceptance.

"Maybe we should head downstairs and continue the conversation there?" Andromeda asked as she looked at Harry.

"Sure," Ted said as he looked over at Sirius. He seemed a bit hesitant but OK with it.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's do that." Sirius said as he gestured for them to go ahead.

Ted wasn't too sure about doing that. But if he needed a little while to compose himself then that's what he needed.

When they came downstairs and into the living room, they all sat down. Ted in his reclining chair with Andromeda and Harry in the sofa.

They did not speak, but Harry seemed to cling onto Andromeda more than usual. As if afraid that this new Uncle would take him away from his aunt, This was really bad wasn't it? But they had about a year or so before that would be an issue, hopefully, they got along by then. But they had to do more than get along too wouldn't they? This was getting more complicated than anticipated.

But they couldn't have left Sirius there either. Andromeda may scold him for having a goatee, but she was relieved that she had a family member to speak to again. That he was sure of. And if worse should come to pass then surely Sirius would see that he could not take care of Harry.

Shortly after Sirius came down the stairs and took a seat in the other reclining chair. And the awkwardness seemed to radiate in the room with his presence.

"So… What should we talk about?" Ted asked gently to get the conversation going.

But before Andromeda or Sirius could reply the floo flared up and out came Susan.

"Hi, Harry!" She said as she ran over and greeted him. Completely oblivious of the atmosphere in the room.

"Hello, Susan." Harry murmured from his place next to Andromeda.

"Why are all of you sitting here?" Susan asked as she looked around the room. "Who are you?" she asked hesitantly as she looked at Sirius.

"Ehm… An old friend of the family." Sirius said as he looked around.

"Oh," Susan said as she looked back at Harry again. Then she quickly grabbed Harry's hand and took him out of the room. And by the sound of it up the stairs.

"He. He didn't know about me?" Sirius asked slowly as he looked over at Andromeda.

"No, he. He had barely gotten here Sirius. We were just focusing on him getting adjusted to a normal family. I am sure he will come around as time goes on." Andromeda said from her seat.

"That is something I suppose… I just thought that he'd been here all along and that you'd have told him about me once Ted started to work on my defence if nothing else."

"We had thought that, but at the same time. We thought that a happy surprise would have been good for him. We didn't exactly think that through it seems." Ted explained.

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Amelia had packed the bag with a bit more trepidation today. She had not been told, but she knew that Sirius would be there. Why wouldn't he? They were the family he had left, of course, he'd be there. It would not make sense otherwise. So hefting the bag over her shoulder she walked slowly towards the fireplace. Susan had already gone through five minutes ago. It would not be dangerous. He did not harbour any ill will. She hoped. There were others there. With those final thoughts of encouragement, she floo'd to the Tonks'.

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The floo flared up again. And out came Amelia. She looked good out of the robes. She honestly did not seem to have aged much, if at all. Honestly, her hair was almost the same as the last time he saw her. A low ponytail, albeit short. Barely past her shoulders. Her blue eyes seemed a bit unsettling, but oh well he couldn't have everything.

"Good evening," Amelia said as she looked at them one by one. When her eyes landed on Sirius they softened a fraction, but they were back to how they were almost immediately. She still hated him. Of course, she would. Why wouldn't she? I am only the reason her brother is half mad. What was it they called it? Age disconnection? Yeah, something like that, is not connected to his age behaviour like others. Will revert to a younger version of himself to a probable older version of himself. And of course to his actual self, who is not sure what is going on.

Couldn't keep my bloody mouth shut. It was three hours. Three hours before the Order raided that hideout. Should have lasted that long, if I did then that girl would not have lost her parents or her Uncle. And Amelia would not have hated me.

"Yes, good evening," Andy said.

"Everything OK?" Amelia asked.

"Yeah, Susan seemed to sense that Harry felt it was awkward and pulled him upstairs. Now the two of you," Andy said with a sweet smile that Sirius knew to fear. He had called it her healer face since she had started her healer training. And he knew to fear it. "Out the back, and talk things through. Don't come back in until then."

Sirius, not one to argue with her when she had that face, the one time he did he could have sworn that she had used a curse worse than the Crutiatis curse on him, got up and headed for the door. Apparently Amelia felt the same as she followed.

They headed into the woods that Ted had mentioned they used as an Apperation point.

"So, what should we talk about?" Sirius asked nervously as he stole a look at Amelia.

"I suppose the same thing you tried to speak to Harry about. Our relationship to one another." Amelia said softly as she leant back against a tree.

"How did you know that was what I tried to speak to him about?"

"I may only have visited once a week, but Andromeda gave good reports. He is afraid to lose the safety he has found here. But what safety do we have to lose?" said Amelia.

"I'm not even sure if I'll stay right now."

"And why wouldn't you?"

"Harry is better off with them, let's not hide from the truth there- I'd always be the doting uncle. I'm not fit to be a parent. Besides, I get everybody close to me hurt. Your brother's, good-sister and parents. My friends. Remus must've gone off and killed himself. I… I'm not strong enough to deal with this. I have been outside of Azkaban for less than a month, I have been free for not even 10 hours and I'm considering to kill myself. With no fire-whisky."

"It's not your fault Sirius. You did what you could. No one else would have held out that long."

"It wasn't even Voldemort that did it. He wasn't even in the hideout as it happened."

"Then who did it?" Amelia said with a hint of tremors in her voice. He'd never talked about it before. He was supposedly the best Occulumence in the force. Good at fixing his holes and improving upon his defences when he was bested. But he did not have time for that when being tortured and broken.

"Who else than everyone's favourite potioneer."

"Snape? No one would believe you, Siri. You hated each other since you were in school."

"I know that. I won't take this public until I can make it stick. If I've learnt one lesson these last six years, it is to have patience. To not run off and do the first thing that comes to my mind."

Amelia didn't look convinced. But that was understandable. He wasn't expecting her to believe him about who was to blame in the first place.

"And our relationship?" Amelia asked hesitantly. Wait, when did she ever do something hesitantly. Even when we revealed our relationship she was firm and immovable.

"You tell me?" She was the one who didn't visit, the one who didn't say anything beyond what was necessary.

"It's complicated. I. I was promoted in the spring after the war ended. Given the command of the Auror forces. I wanted to open your case, but as it was sealed I couldn't without having a reason to do so. And that didn't come before now. And then I got confused. We had spent so much of our time together since you joined my squad. I was angry, I felt betrayed that you'd do something like that. I thought it was possible that you were innocent but unlike them," She gestured back to the house.

"I lost hope rather quickly. I just went on with my life. Focusing on work and Susan. I drank a bit too much in the Autumn than what is healthy. But it was what it was."

"We loved each other. What was there ever to be confused about?"

"I had spent 4 and a half years hating you. Tell me how I'm not supposed to be confused by that. Yes, I loved you, then I hated you. And now I am confused. Where would our lives have been if you weren't sent to Azkaban? Would we have married? Would we have kids, whose family name would they have?"

James were right. Never make a woman confused about your relationship. They'll think too much about things that were not even a blip on your radar.

"If you're that confused then. How about take it slow, do you come over every Friday?"

"Yes, we do. Why?"

"Well then. How about we take half hour to an hour every Friday to begin with and see where it leads us?"

"I suppose that is possible."

"Well then, maybe we should get back now, after all, we have cleared things up between us."

"Want to get away from me so early?"

"No, I just want a meal that has not been made by Moody. A good fighter, but not a good cook."

"Great, now I'll be imagining Moody cooking. It is not pretty, and

my number one concern is how did the kitchen survive?"

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Review Responses

 **TheRealXenocide-** Dumbledore thinks his way is the only way. Is he a bit evil? Yes, but that is because those actions are necessary to HIS view of the chain of events to pass. Not just because *I am evil so I need to do this and this and a bit of that.* This won't be a "Dumbledore and Grindewald Master Plan" Evil Dumbledore story.

 **NoNeedForAName-** And that is sort of the problem. OLD and NAIVE in the same sentence about a supposedly great and knowledgeable man is sort of counter intuitive. He should have learnt to read people to a degree, which he seems to do in the books. Mistakes which always seems to push the boundaries of what Harry can manage? Not saying that his shortcomings won't be recognised, but it'll be a long while before that happens. Third year at least.

 **Stacey's Universe-** Thanks for pointing out some names I need to double check as I write. No E in McGonagall. Or in Nymphadora


	11. Intro Arc- 11

Sorry about the (relatively) late update today.  
And a thank you for Ogreman in Beta-ing this chapter. Just hope me and Grammarly did not undo all of his good work.

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Tuesday. October 14th.

Andromeda is heading to the Grangers. Apparently Hermione had done accidental magic when she was chased by bullies. If that links up to why the father was so resigned to being with her before. Then at least it made some sort of sense. Harry was with her now so as to divert her attention if nothing else.

They walked up to the door and rung the doorbell. It took but a few moments before the father was at the door.

"Yes?" He asked as he looked at them. Obviously recognising Harry a bit.

"I was wondering if we could come in. Have a bit of a chat." Andromeda said

"Huh…Sure." He said as he gestured them inside.

"Why don't you find Hermione, and the two of you can play while we talk, OK?" Andromeda asked Harry. His smile was so easy, and then he was up the stairs and asked for Hermione.

"Is your wife home?" Andromeda asked as she turned to look at him.

"Yes, she is in the kitchen." He said as he headed there.

She followed and entered the kitchen. The mother was sitting at the table reading a book with a cup of tea.

"Honey, Hermione's friend's mother is here to have a talk." He said slowly.

That seemed to get her attention quickly. She put the bookmark into place and laid the book down quicker than she thought possible.

"What can we do for you?" She asked with a soft, yet unsure smile.

"May I?" She asked as she gestured to the door. "I don't want the children to overhear."

"Uh, sure?" The mother said as she looked between Andromeda and the door.

While Andromeda closed the door, she also put up a silencing barrier between the kitchen and the rest of the house. Best to wait for that reveal until they somewhat believe in magic.

"This is about today isn't it? I understand if you don't want Harry being around Hermione anymore. We don't know what it was ourselves, we've tried to understand but it just happens."

"It is not that. Well, it is about that. But Harry will not be told to stay away from Hermione."

The mother seemed glad, but also unsure.

"Why would you do that? Your boy could get hurt?" The father asked as he took his place next to his wife.

"It is not unnatural. My own daughter did a lot more, and a lot more often than that. But that is not the matter at hand. Your daughter has powers that most don't. But she does not have control of them yet. She will be invited to a school during the summer after she turns eleven. There she will learn how to control it."

"A school? This sounds far fetched, if something like this existed en-masse then there would be something about it, wouldn't there?" The father asked.

"It is all hidden, it's...complicated. At one point the average person wanted people with these powers dead. Usually by drowning or burning."

"A witch, you call our daughter a witch?" The mother asks horrified.

"What else has she done? At school, she tripped those that chased her and her friends. I'd bet that you've tried to place a favourite toy or a favourite book out of reach for her, but you'd find her with it anyway."

They looked at each other with a horrified questioning look.

"It is not a bad thing. She is just a bit more special than the average child."

"But Magic isn't real. It's just something from a fairy tale." The father said.

"It is as I said, the average people wanted our kind dead. So that led to what we now call the Statute of Secrecy, which I am technically breaking right now. But I've never understood the need to wait until the child is about to attend Hogwarts to give their family some knowledge about it."

"Hogwarts, what is that? The name of the school?"

"Yes, it is our school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The only school in the British Isles. But if you do not believe me, then maybe I can show it to you?"

"Sure…" The Father started before he became a lot more unsure about it once Andromeda pulled out her wand.

A quick charm later and the remainder of the cup of tea was turned to ice.

"But. But...That is impossible." The mother said.

"As you've seen it is possible. Perhaps another one will make it more believable for you?" Andromeda asked before performing the tap dancing charm on the teaspoon with the ice tea. As the ice tea was tap dancing the two parents slowly became more and more accepting of it.

"How long will it take to learn something like that?" The father asked in an almost mesmerised voice.

"Both of those charms are what we call First year charms. So not too long."

"They learn something like this in their first year?" The mother asked almost horrified.

"Yes, they do. It is not as difficult as it seems, at least to us. Now, I am sorry to say, but you can not really know this when the Hogwarts representative comes to deliver the letter. So just in case, I'll have to partition this memory for you. It will be unlocked with a phrase if the Representative is the one they have now. If not then I'll unlock it for you at some point after that."

"How do they know she is magical then?" The father asked as he looked at her, his full attention on her; it would have been terrifying if he had a muscular build.

"There is a book and a quill, enchanted to write down every person on the Isles with magic as they are born, accurate down to the hundredth of a second. Though it only notes the first one, would take too long of a time otherwise.

"Will it hurt? The memory partition?" The mother asked.

"Not particularly. A dull headache for a day or so before it passes after which you'll have more or less forgotten that I was even here. Though if I may, I'd like to add a soft personality change in regards to your daughter, those born with magic in a Mundane household can be silently left out, abandoned, or nourished. You seem like good people, but I'd prefer to be on the safe side, considering your husband seemed to look at spending time with her as some form of punishment."

"You what? She is our daughter, why would you do that?" The mother had yelled out as she looked at her husband.

"You were never here when something happened. It spooked me, OK. Wouldn't you have been spooked too if every time you put something away it is there again by the time you are back?"

"It did happen while I've watched her, that is why I thought you should watch her because nothing was wrong when you watched her. Or so you said."

Well, this would have been fun. But it's time to get this over with before they start to punch each other. A quick drowsiness charm and they fell asleep. Then the mild personality alteration with the command:

'Your oldest daughter may have strange powers, but you love her nonetheless. If you have other children with powers you'll love them as well. It is not that strange. After all, there is so much we do not know of the world.'

Then the memory charm quickly partitioning the memory of their meeting and keying it behind the lock of the phrase 'Harry's grand god-aunt' Should maybe remind McGonegall about that, I don't think she remembers.

Quickly she removed the silencing barrier before leaving the kitchen. Quickly throwing a time delayed wake up charm at them before closing the door to the kitchen.

She walked up the stairs to find Harry and Hermione. They were in her bedroom, she was reading Narnia to herself and Harry while they sat in her bed. She let them continue until the chapter was done.

"We have to go now, Harry." She said softly as she entered the room properly.

"Oh," Harry said before turning and giving Hermione a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow" She heard him try to whisper to her. He did not seem to manage to whisper to people yet, it was audible for the rest of the room.

"See you later Hermione," Andromeda said with a smile before turning and following Harry as he walked downstairs.

As they left the house she heard the mother ask "Why is my tea frozen, and on the table?"

Should perhaps have fixed that, well, too late now.

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Saturday. November 14th

Sirius was a happy man, it was Saturday. He had been free for a month now. And he was on a date. Well, the date was technically over. They were now at the Ossuary, just having a drink and enjoying each other's company. It was their first date. But seeing as they had planned to evaluate where they were at Christmas that was more than enough for him. If it continued at this pace, perhaps he'd propose. But for now, he'd enjoy what they had.

"Do I need to be worried?" Amelia asked from beside him. She was dressed in a nice yellow and blue dress. Not too deep of a neckline but quite nice. Her hair was not styled too much but it had been pulled up in some sort of a knot with some hair left to frame her face a bit. All in all, an alluring look. Not too different from how she looked when he had fallen for her, though that was after a battle. Nowhere near as romantic now.

"What do you have to be worried over?" Sirius quipped as he looked at her.

"I do not know, but you were quite pensive there. That is not a good look on you, and usually means that you're plotting something."

"I was just thinking. Of all that has happened...and thinking of you."

Amelia leant into him then. "There's no need to think of me, as I am right here."

Sirius stroked her side then as he leant his head on top of hers. "I know, but no one ever said that one left Azkaban the same as when they entered it."

"I should have done more sooner. I shouldn't have wallowed in my self-pity."

"You didn't know. And you said it yourself you were stonewalled. And Dumbledore himself sealed the records so, how were you going to start it? What's done is done. Learn from it and move on, right? Believe I've heard that somewhere."

"Yeah, but Sirius, it was five years of our lives. Gone. I can't seem to comprehend more than that. Where would we have been if not for that? Would I be the Director of the DMLE? Would we have kids? If so, how many? There's just so many questions that need to be answered."

"And what do you think?"

"Hmm? What do I think about what?"

"Would you be the Director of the DMLE if we married? And, how many kids do you want?"

Amelia laughed a bit before she answered. It was a lot more melodic than during the war. "I don't know. Probably, and three maybe."

"That sounds good. Another Bones and two Blacks." Sirius said with a grin as he hugged her closer.

"Will you return to work when you've healed completely?" She asked.

"No, I...I don't think so."

"What will you do then?"

"Do my best to negate the laws that my family helped put in place. Or otherwise erode them as best I can."

"Really? You a member of the Wizengamot? That ought to spice things up quite a bit."

"Yeah, I think so too. My Mind Healer thinks it'll help me put things in perspective."

"Which one, the inescapable one, or the hired one?"

"Both of them actually."

"Well, that is nice. At least we can move some things along now."

"Oh?"

"You'll be the holder of the Black, Potter and Peverell seats. Dumbledore held the Potter seat saying that as the Potter's will gave him the authority to act on the behalf of House Potter until Heir Potter came of age. I recall Father mentioning James was in the Wizingamot just after his own parents were killed. He must've been 16 at the time. And if I recall my wizarding law, an heir without parents or an older kin will become the lord or Lady of their house upon the age of 14. Not at any point later."

"I never bothered learning any of that. But Dumbledore's really done that? Ted mentioned that he thought Dumbledore voted against me, even if he pointed to the Innocent bubble his votes landed in Guilty. And again when voting on Pettigrew he aimed at Guilty, but the votes landed in Innocent."

"You think he purposefully worked against us, hoping that his votes would shift the weight?" Amelia asked.

"It seems that way."

"That is just so wrong. He is Dumbledore. And here he is sealing cases that have no need of being sealed. And doing things that he himself says that one should not do. Is this making you as mad as it is making me?"

"Probably," Sirius muttered. This was home. He didn't want it to end. Even if they just sat here in each other's company all night long, it would be one of the best things in the world. Perhaps except seeing Harry on a broom. But he was not allowed to get him one until the Summer.

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 **Baby Huey-** Thanks for continuing to tell me what piece of grammar I need to look into the most.

 **Mel-** It probably is a bit slow as there is not that much going on right now. That'll change as we move into First Year territory.

Geetac- ...That's a bit harsh don't you think.

To the rest of you, thank you for taking the time to review.


	12. Intro Arc- 12

Again a huge thank you to Ogreman for Beta-ing this chapter. As well, as the fact that if something is wrong here. Odds are it's me that fucked up with Grammarly :)

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The Hogwarts Express was headed back to London. She's been sending letters back home more often, mostly because of Sirius. But also because her parents kept on saying that they'd found 'McGonegall's surprise'. It was just not fair! They should just tell her.

But no matter, there was only a few hours left now. The train would be back to Kings Cross at noon. And it was now 10. So two hours left. She could do that; she could wait another two hours.

The door to her compartment opened. And she'd had such a nice trip so far. Tonks had to look and see who it was. Of course, it was Thomas. This could be fun, or it could be bad.

"So, what do you say to finishing what we started before we left?" Thomas asked. Yeah, it'd be fun. He had no friends around now.

"Yeah." She said in the most dreamy voice she could conjure. He leaned down so he did not see that her wand was pointed at a patch of his bared stomach. "Nullus Vive pro Quarterium" Tonks shouted. Thomas fell as the spell took effect.

"What did you do!" Thomas shouted as he got back to his feet.

"You're going to have so much fun next year. Auntie promised to teach me more before I come back." Tonks said with a grin as she looked at him. "All sorts of spells that will never be revealed by any revelations charm." She added as she slowly transformed her look into that of her mother. Though he did not know that. He just knew that she started to look a bit too much like her aunt. Before another second ticked by he was gone, and Tonks shifted her appearance back to how she wanted it to be. Right now that was shoulder length red hair with purple highlights.

Tonks thought it best to lock the door before she took a small nap. He'd most likely notice that his thing was not exactly as it should be either before they de-boarded or in the days afterwards. It wasn't permanent, but he didn't need to know that.

She woke back up when the train started to slow down before arriving at Nine and Three Quarters. Looking outside they were almost at the station already. She barely had to wait a minute before she could leave the train.

As she left the train she saw her parents being given a rather wide berth. Looking again she saw a man that looked a lot like Uncle Sirius did. But his hair was somehow longer, and he had a goatee. What was wrong with him? He always said he'd never have facial hair, it was not a big winner with the ladies or something like that. It was so long ago, what was she at the time? Six? Seven? Something like that, she could remember being given that cursed necklace to wear to school at least.

Coming closer she could see that it was indeed him. "Hello, kiddo!" He said as he smiled at her.

She laughed lightly as she hugged him. "Welcome back Uncle Siri." She said into his chest.

"Well then, I suppose I take her, and you two take her things?" Sirius asked her parents as she did not seem likely to let go with the first.

"Sure," Ted said as he got a hold of her trunk, while Andromeda took her bag. Before she knew it she was back at the Apparition point behind her house.

"Welcome home kiddo," Sirius said with a grin as they walked to the house.

"I'm the one that should be saying that! You were the one that was gone."

"And yet I was here before you." He said with a laugh.

"Not my fault they didn't realise you didn't do anything before I went to school," Tonks said in a very sullen tone.

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Tonks entered her kitchen with Sirius following. Her parents probably a minute or so behind.

"So… Where's the secret?" Tonks asked in the most pleading tone and with dog-like eyes looking up at Sirius.

"That trick doesn't work on me, Dora," Sirius said simply. But he had to laugh when she looked at him like he said that he'd kill her.

"My name is Tonks!" She yelled at him. "I'll be in my room." She said before she quickly left Sirius standing there. At first, it may have been her outburst that made him rooted to the spot, but afterwards, it was the horror that he was supposed to keep her down here until her parents came back. Great, they'd just taught Harry to accept him and they were already terrorising him again.

Tonks, on the other hand, entered her room and flung herself onto the bed. Stupid boys, stupid parents, and stupid uncle. Why can't anyone or anything be simple and easy, She thought about taking out the photo album she had under her bed, but she didn't want to think about that. He wasn't coming back, if Sirius hadn't found him in these months then nobody could. She had to move on now.

A door opened, but she hadn't heard anybody in the hall. Her interest piqued Tonks went to the door. Only to come face to face with a young boy with black hair and green eyes. "Hello," The boy said simply as he looked at her.

"Who're you?" Tonks asked as she scrunched up her face as she thought who it could be. It sorta looked like a young James, but his eyes were green though they were not Lily's green. And he also didn't have the scar that all the books said Harry should have. Though she had to wonder how they could know that when the only one that was there was Dumbledore.

"I'm Harry. Who're you?"

"I'm Tonks."

"No, it isn't. That's Aunty and Uncle Ted's last name." The boy countered.

"You'll call me Tonks!" She yelled in an angry voice. And before she knew it the boy was down the hall and through a door that had stood unused for years. The childish letters her mother had picked up when she had first looked for him standing on it again. As she got out of her shock, she discovered the door was locked.

She hurried down the hall and knocked softly on the door. "Harry? Can I come in?" Tonks asked worriedly.

"What did you do to Uncle Padfoot?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Who's Uncle Padfoot?" Tonks asked anxiously.

"Uncle Sirius told me to call him Padfoot. Because he can turn into a dog, some sort of odd joke he had with my dad and their friends. Now, what did you do to him?" Harry asked.

"I didn't do anything to him. He and my parents went to pick me up from the Hogwarts Express." Tonks explained.

"So you're not here to hurt me?"

"Why would I hurt you?"

"You yelled, and you were angry. People who yell while they are angry, tend to hurt those they yell at."

"I don't want to hurt you, Harry… I just don't like the name my Mom forced onto me. Please open the door, I can show you something you'll like if you want me to."

"What is it?" Harry asked slowly as if assessing if it's worth it.

"Stay here, I'll go and get it," She said before she dashed up the hall to her room, and grabbed the photo album. It contained mostly pictures of her and Harry, but some of his uncles and both of their parents were in some of them as well. Her mom probably knew that it existed, but she was kind enough to not snoop in her bedroom so she was safe in knowing that she hadn't seen the condition some of those pictures were in now.

"I'm back," Tonks said softly as she knocked on the door. Please don't hate me, not now that you're back.

The door unlocked and he opened it for her. The room was a bit like hers, but he had a nicer colour scheme to his. She was rather aghast when she came home to see her room painted in black and yellow. Her mom should not be allowed to deal with decorations; it would be the death of whoever was going to live there. So who did this? Dad? Or Sirius?

"What did you want to show me?" He asked as he walked over to his bed. He looked at her like she was a bit weird. Not that unexpected, her hair was red with 'natural' purple highlights.

"This photo album." Tonks said as she climbed onto his bed and as good as forced him to sit next to her in the crock of her arm. He seemed a bit annoyed but also somewhat happy.

She turned it over onto the first page. A photo of the first time she saw Harry, she had black hair that day. McGonegall and even Madam Bones thought it was because it was her 'Natural' hair colour. No, she was sort of mourning the loss of her place as the baby in the family. It was taking her place. But the one next to it was sort of better. She was sitting between Lily and her mother, holding Harry. He sort of grew on her in the following months. So, she stopped mourning her loss, but cherishing her much younger and quite often dull friend. But all of the grownups, except Uncle Sirius and Uncle James, said as long as there was no lasting damage she could take him and do whatever.

She turned the page and saw the next picture it was of the two of them at Harry's first birthday party. Here it was just the two of them. He looked so happy there. The picture next to it was of her and Harry a few days later. She had started to use him as a doll around Christmas when his parents were off fighting. This picture was somewhat a favourite of hers as she had dressed him up in girl's clothes. He seemed confused by it but happy.

"Why was I wearing girl's clothes?" Harry asked curiously.

"Eh, I thought you'd look cute in it." Tonks said quietly as she shrugged before turning the page. The rest of the photos were more or less normal. Except the last one, it was the last picture she knew that was taken of Harry. Just a week before that day. Again it was just the two of them, but she had red hair rather than black or whatever shade of brown she decided to have that week. And Harry loved it; Lily had commented that it was probably because it was the colour he recognized as the colour of his mother. If it just made him happy and feel safe then all the better.

What she especially liked about it was the fact that it was of them in her room. She had fallen asleep with him on top of her. He had probably fallen asleep before her. But it was no problem. She just liked it because it was the first time without her necklace on that her hair stayed the same colour and length.

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The holiday's had been great. He had spent a lot more time with Amelia, as well as Harry and Susan. The four of them spent the weekends at the Ossuary now instead of at the Tonks' house. All of them seemed to agree that it was a lot more fun to spend time at the Ossuary. Now though the children were asleep, it did not take too much seeing as he had given them decent-ish starter brooms for kids. They were not all that fast; they could not go more than 25 feet up. But they had fun. But Amelia was not all that amused, seeing as it was winter. And using softening charms on snow was useless and trying to clear out the snow and ice to be able to use it on the dirt was a more monumental task than she'd like to perform.

But hey, it burned right through their energy just to use it in the Bones' gym. He had not realised the fact that, that room was a gym when he visited with his parents on one of the Bones' gala's when he was probably 7 or 8. That was the first time he met James. Though James barely spoke to him at the time he was honestly spellbound by the charisma around him, though in time he was not that enthralled, for a while he was worried he was gay. But then he met Amelia again, the fussing OWL student that barely gave him the time of day. If he stopped drooling, it didn't happen too often. And that was how James got his comeback on all of his Lily jokes. It wasn't fair.

Bah. Stupid memories. Sirius opened the door to Amelia's office and entered it. She'd added a more informal sitting area next to the fireplace now. It had been there before apparently, but as she did not have too many people she had private informal meetings with ,it wasn't necessary and she had it removed.

She looked lovely in simple sweats and a half-sleeved tunic. Though her lovely hair and eyes were still as beautiful as ever. As he took his seat next to her on the sofa she attached herself rather quickly.

"Miss me that much? I was just gone five minutes." Sirius chuckled.

"No, just wanted to make sure you were still here." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I've been out for four months now if they were going to revert the decision I'm sure it'd be done by now." He said, but that was apparently not the right words as she clung onto him harder.

"You need to be in the Wizengamot session next week. They're sacking Bagnold. Just your presence would send a signal as you've not been seen since your trial."

"And why should I be there? The votes were far enough in my favour that it wasn't postponed, but it was just barely. Hell, most of the neutral families still voted against me."

"Be the bigger man that I know you can be Sirius. Be there and show them that you can beat them with a fair game plan."

"And why'd I need a game plan for that?"

"We'll be preparing for the election of the next Minister. I was sorta thinking of nominating you."

"You do recall that I'm not legally allowed to do much of anything right now. Right?"

"I've already talked to your mind healer, she thinks it'd be good for you. And that you were far better than she'd have thought somebody that had spent half the time you had in Azkaban should have been able to be. So, you should be able to."

"And if anyone asks why I am so much better than I should be?"

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I won't jeopardise your career for something like this. You always wanted to make the Director of the DMLE and make the improvements you wanted to make."

Amelia sat up and looked Sirius in the eyes.

"And those improvements will not be possible to be done without someone that actually cares being made Minister. The leading candidate right now is Junior Minister of Magical Accidents- Mr. Fudge, supported by the Head of Improper use of Magic office- Miss Umbridge. As well as Lord Malfoy. Do you think Fudge has grown enough spine to make the improvements needed? Or will he become a puppet to those two?"

Sirius deflated. Fudge was a decent man, but it was true. He did not have much of a spine. He'd either cave to one or the other. Or worse, both of them.

"Fine, I'll do it. But if it backfires, we'll do our best to limit the damage."

"I assume that means that I won't be wearing this for the rest of the week?" Amelia asked as she thumbed her engagement ring. White gold band with a 3 and a half carat diamond surrounded by a dozen yellow spinel gemstones.

"As I said Amelia, they know we've become friends. But so far no one knows we've even rekindled our relationship. Best to keep it that way for now."

"I won't let them take you again."

"And what would they take me for? Being an unregistered Animagus is a fine that grows per month between becoming one and registering. My 'return' money should do the trick and still have some to spare. But, please. Do not, try to do something stupid. Susan and Harry need you. I was worried the last time, but this time, I'll at least know for sure that he's looked after."

"I can't deal with the idea of you being gone again."

"Then that won't happen. Tomorrow we'll start to plan. Do you think Dowager Longbottom will help?"

"I don't see why not. I'll contact the Abbot's and see if they'll join before we begin as well. With them, I think we should be as prepared as we can be without tipping our hand before the session."

Eight months ago he was not sure what year it was. But now he was about to be put forward as a candidate for Minister of Magic of Britain. How does life change so fast?

* * *

Review Responses:

 **Baby Huey-** Thank you for being patient with me, and giving me things to look over to try to improve :)

 **acmcnabb-** The Will, will come out in one of the next chapters.

 **Stormbow-** Nice to hear from you again :) As I said in PM, that was that it sounded to me like he was afraid this would turn into one of those 50 Chap before we even get to the summer before Hogwarts type of stories. It is not, in fact, this is the last chapter before we jump into a summer before First year.  
No, she hasn't. They'll meet on the train, or they'll meet once during the summer. As to Andromeda, besides her being a Healer I really don't know much about her. I can't recall there being mentioned anything else about her and as such, she may be a bit frosty. I'll do my best to give her some sort of a personality in the next chapter. But I can't promise anything as I doubt my personality/emotional writing skills have improved that much.

 **Arnold DeVillena-** Yeah, you'll probably learn that I find the lack of people using the biggest plot tool/ plot hole to be rather disturbing. I mean Obliviate is learned in THIRD year. I think there are a lot of gaps in people's memories...

 **TRX-** Have you never seen 'How it Should have Ended'? And as I told you in your funny conversation system. I don't send anyone after anyone. I don't see the need to. That said, I don't condone it. But hey, it's a free world. And it's the internet.

Just a small note here at the end. I'll not post again until August. Just to make sure that I've outlined Year one as best as I can and get a few chapters finished and ready to be posted. Until then, have a good summer!


	13. Summer 1- 1

Hello, folks. I'm terribly sorry for the lack of updates so far beyond the end of August. But it seems real life events and communications between me and my beta did not want this chapter to go up. But anyways, I wanted you to have a chapter before Christmas.

I don't know what's going on with my Beta, whether it's lack of time or something else that s/he isn't telling me. But anyway I'll look for a new one to read over the next chapter that I'll tentatively say will be released mid to late January.

Unbeta'd

Disclaimer: I own nothing and never will own anything related to Harry Potter and it's related works. I just enjoy messing with things for my own enjoyments.

* * *

Harry floo'd to the Longbottom manor for the first time alongside Susan, behind them Sirius and Amelia. And in front of them were Dora, she stood to the side of a group of children. Two of them he recognised from photographs as Neville and Hannah. But the others, not so much.

An older Lady whom Harry thought was the Dowager of House Longbottom, stood slightly to the side and behind the children. Seemingly quite pleased with it all.

As Harry and Susan stepped away from the fireplace, the woosh of Sirius and Amelia arriving behind them arrived. While Harry had not travelled with Floo too much, mostly between the Tonks' and The Ossuary, and sometimes the Black's Manorhouse. Though that was no more than once a year, and always with all others of Black blood, though, they always ended up trying to remove Sirius' mothers portrait from the wall. Though Harry found himself drifting to the Library, although none of them thought it prudent for him to be there alone. Apparently, black was more than a name to them. It was a way of life for them before. He clearly saw that with two of the books. To say that opening them in the wrong way would be detrimental to one's health would be an understatement. Even Dora seemed queasy about it. And wasn't that something he found funny!

"So, Susan. Introduce him." Amelia said softly behind them.

"Hey, everyone. This is Harry." Susan said without a stutter. He recalled that she was a bit shy when they first met, but over time it disappeared. That may have been a part of the 'Boy Who Lived' thing, though. It also could be that she did not feel like he was a stranger anymore. So he felt like she knew them quite well.

Except for weekends like they had before their first Christmas. Their life had carried on more or less like before. So, Susan had most likely met them at events that Harry had not been allowed to attend for one reason or another. To be honest he had never minded it that much, though he had not truly caught on until this last year as their reasoning's had been rather odd this year.

All eyes were on him, he wasn't wearing his necklace. Or that pair of glasses. Nor any of the dozen pairs of socks. One could easily say that Aunt Andy was a bit paranoid.

"Hello." Harry said softly. One could also say that he wasn't the one that was the most enthusiastic with people. He liked the people he liked, there was no need for anymore.

"Heir Potter." The Dowager said simply with a nod of her head. He had to wonder for a while why she addressed him at all, much less as such. But then he remembered. He was the heir to a Noble house about to get its Ancient Status at the turn of this century.

"Dowager Longbottom." He said with a small bow. He thought that was the appropriate greeting. Shyly he looked back at Sirius and Amelia. Sirius, as usual, had a small grin that seemed to contain a laugh, while Amelia had a simple smile and gave a nod of her head.

"Dowager Longbottom." Sirius said, quickly followed by Amelia.

"Lord Black, Madam Bones. How fare our Aurors?"

"Quite well." Amelia says in response.

To Harry, it sort of seems like that was staged somewhat. Though he's not sure what, or how. It just was.

"Now children, go and enjoy yourself for a while before the dinner." The Dowager Longbottom said.

"Dora, look after them." Amelia says with her work voice. He's never liked her using it. But he finds it more acceptable than Sirius' work voice. It just doesn't sound like him at all. He doesn't even speak the same way!

Neville leads them downstairs to a medium sized room that seems to be made to play games in. Mostly board games though there's a length set aside for people to duel, either with sword or wands. He's not sure as from what he's seen and heard they're not that different. He could hear Susan talking with Hannah, apparently, Hannah felt rather left out as Susan had gotten to spend time with the Boy Who Lived. If this was what awaited him at Hogwarts, he was not sure if he wanted to go anymore. He could feel his eyes bulging and his ears, for lack of a better term, stilted. Did people really see him as an object? This just felt weird.

"Heya, Harry. Want to play a game?" Neville asked rather shyly. As Harry looked at him, he lowered his eyes. Harry sort of felt sympathetic. Somebody who's social confidence was lower than his, though, he himself just didn't like being around people he didn't trust. Neville seemed to just be plain shy.

"Sure." Harry said as he approached him.

Two girls, one blond and the other a brunette sat nearby and played what seemed like checkers. Their game did not last too long. Neither one of them were that good. But Harry had the slight advantage of some martial training and simply applied what logic he could for each piece's movement restriction, and thereby won. While some may find Chess to be a good go-to tool to see if somebody was a good tactician or strategist. Harry knows that Sirius and Amelia are quite good at both, but Harry's beaten both of them twice in Chess, although, it could've just been luck. Uncle Remus on the other hand, he knows almost nothing about, but he's never gotten close to beating him yet.

"That was a good game." Susan said while she clapped Neville on the shoulder.

"Thanks." Neville said shyly. Harry reached his hand over the table. Neville seemed confused for a moment before he took it into a loose handshake.

"Well played." Harry said with a smile. Though, he felt like he cheated, though. If there ever was such a thing as a Wizarding competition for Chess players like in the Mundane world, then he was sure Remus would have won it.

"You too." Neville said with a slight smile.

"Come on Harry. Hannah wants to meet you." Susan said with a rather abundant enthusiasm as she half dragged him over to where she sat with those two girls in a corner. Neville and the rest of the boys seemed to look on in half shock. The quick look he got of Dora, on the other hand, told him that she was about to get her payback for the Book Incident.

"Hey, Harry." Hannah says smoothly as she looks to them as they approach

"Hi." Harry said easily enough as Susan stops trying to tug his arm out of its socket. Harry looks at the other two girls and as he looks them over, he recognises them from a deal or something that Sirius or Amelia had made with their family a year or so back within the Wizingamont. They went from Neutral to Progressive because of that deal and it upset the power balance within the Wizingamont quite a bit with it.

"Hi, I'm Hannah Abbot, and this is Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis." Hannah said softly yet enthusiastically. She seemed, chipper. Like Dora could be whenever he wasn't in the mood to be. But she had that uncanny ability to get under his skin, although he thought it was in a good way.

"Hey." Harry said with a quaky voice as he had to look at two girls he hadn't even heard of, although, they did not seem too bad. What did he even know of girls besides Hermione and Susan? He couldn't count Dora. She was just. She was Dora. He couldn't think of her as anything else. She had threatened him once when he had almost introduced her by her full name to Hermione.

"How long have you known Susan?" She murmured. Her confidence seemingly disappearing. Or maybe she just wanted to be quiet.

"Uh. Four years or so." Harry says in answer. Was that it?

"Four years?" the girl asked sort of like if she was huffy.

"I'm sorry Hannah, but I wasn't allowed to tell. I don't think Harry is allowed to either. But I suppose it's out now." Susan said with a relieved tone. He knew because that was the way she sounded like when Amelia or Sirius allowed her to talk about some magic news that she hadn't been allowed to share with her.

"Oh. OK, I suppose." Hannah said happily. Whereas Misses Greengrass and Davis did not seem too interested, he thought they paid more attention than they would if they weren't interested.

"So, what house do you think you'll enter into?" Daphne asked right away. " Personally I hope for Ravenclaw."

"Hufflepuff." Hannah said easily. She did not seem like a girl that was easily perturbed.

"I think I'd do best in Ravenclaw." Tracey said as she answered.

"I'm not sure, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." Susan said while nibbling at her lower lip. At that, the three girls turned to Harry. And he was honestly not sure what to say. He knew the houses, he knew what they represented. But he wasn't sure. He thought they all had qualities to be admired when one looked at them on paper. But from what he'd heard, even from Aunt Andy. Slytherin was easily the worst house. She too liked the qualities they stood for on paper, and was a good role model for it. But when it was almost non-existent in the actual house, then it became a different matter. He didn't like it.

"I'm not sure, as long as it isn't Slytherin I think I'll be fine." Harry said with a rather shy grin. He wasn't too sure about the two ex-neutral girls. But he thought Hannah could be a good friend.

Before long Neville came and asked if they wanted to go and see the Greenhouses. Susan and Hannah were not swayed either way. They had apparently been here several times over the years, and had watched Neville's love for plants grow. But the ex-neutral girls was not the biggest fans of gardening or plants. At least that's what he gathered from their noise of protests.

"I'd love to, Neville." Harry said. He hadn't seen too many magical plants that did not look to be muggle like. Even the Ossuary was rather devoid of magical plants. Harry was not sure what had happened, if he didn't know better, he'd have sworn Neville had Apparated them to outside the Greenhouses, because all of a sudden they were there. And Neville was out of breath. No, he must've been pulling a lot harder than he realised. The girls and the rest of the guests came behind them at a more sedate pace.

"I'm sorry about that Harry." Neville said shortly in-between breaths as Harry helped pull him up onto his feet. And from there half carried him toward the Green Houses, much to the amusement of the boys.

* * *

Sirius and Amelia walk down an open corridor on the Longbottom's manor. It's probably one of the oldest Noble house's manor, besides the Potters' and the Peverell's. Though, they've achived Noble status earlier than the Potters and thus already an Ancient one.

"It's been a few interesting years." Sirius notes as he adjusts his coat. Half tempted to take it off and toss it outside. But that would set a bad example.

When did he start to care about that? Right, the spring after he got out. 4-year-old Regulus James Black, born on May the 22nd 1987. Wasn't that an eye opener!

"That it has." Amelia says easily as she leans back against one of the pillars before she hoists herself up on the railings as if she was a coy little schoolgirl.

Sirius leans on the railing opposite her and looks at her. Her clothes are more or less what she's worn ever since their victory at the Wizingamont.

Auror Commander robe, shirt-right now it was a yellow one, black waistcoat, muggle military trousers - cargo's he thought they were called.

He'd been too busy to catch up too much on the muggle world. And what he had caught up on was the cars and motorcycles

The trousers were blue. And to top it off she had Dragonhide boots, he couldn't recall what type it was. But it was durable. What kind of Dragonhide wasn't? And it was not often seen that somebody made boots off them. But it was clever, as most wore Dragonhide vests or jackets. People tended to aim elsewhere.

"I still can't believe we won." Amelia confides. He knew she had been worried, all the way till the final vote in April of 1987, oddly enough it had been that month's usual Wizingamont session.

"Yeah, it was crazy, wasn't it. But then again, nobody was sure who'd win. Me or Fudge. Fudge had the backing of Malfoy, and Delores. Can't say I made much sense myself."

"You didn't have the experience. But people knew that you knew what were needed in a much-needed overhaul of the Auror Department. As well as being open for debate. Too many of the conservative block did not approve, but most of the progressive, and the neutral ones did." Amelia responds with a smile he couldn't help but find adoring. And he knew that was what it meant as well. She made it when she talked about him as if he still surprised her. Or he surprised himself somehow.

"Well, it helps to have such a nice woman help me figure out what to say. If I were left to my own devices I'd most likely just blabber away about how crazy everything is, how crazy everything will most likely still be no matter who'd win, and how crazy things always will be." Sirius said with a straight face. But internally he couldn't help but debate how true that would be. And looking at Amelia, he notes that she was wondering the same.

"It doesn't matter, as we did win." Amelia says. Sirius nods twice while in thought. He couldn't help but remind Remus' appearance a few days into June. He said that he heard, and wanted to congratulate him. On all counts, he said. Sirius being Sirius forced him to stay with half serious threats of being force fed a lifetimes supply of Wolfsbane. Sirius was still wondering if it would be a viable cure.

"So, heard anything out of Eastern Europe?" Sirius asks as innocently as possible.

"Yes, somebody annihilated a Vampire colony in Romania. The local Memory Cleaners were dispatched to remove any and all memory of anything magical shortly after."

"It didn't leave the local village?" Sirius asks curiously. Doesn't the muggles communicate in so many different and quick ways now?

"No, they arrived and went trough everything before they could send a letter out."

"Good, good. A breach of the International Statute of Secrecy would be bad."

"Especially as the one who'd have done it was your friend. I asked, it appears that the few memory cleaners that overlapped are convinced that this man has done similar feat's trough out Eastern Europe over the last decade, if not longer." Amelia said with ease, though a hint of trouble was there.

"He does what he thinks he has to." Sirius says as he looks out over the Longbottom's fields.

"He will barely accept my help as it is."

"Except the Wolfsbane. You sort of force that on him."

"If he doesn't want it, then he can stay away for the week leading up to the full moon." Sirius says easily. Though, he himself has had doubts at times as well. He knows that it works, but it was different when he was so near his child. He'd like to think that he can take him on alone. But that was almost always James' job when he went off doing something they were not supposed to do. He was just the backup, though that did not last too long as they didn't want to hurt him either.

"So, how're things going in the land of the DMLE?"

"Good, you were right, though. Accepting an OWL with remedial NEWT classes in Potions for those who needed it was the right thing to do, we've gained so many new recruits. We're almost back at the strength we had during my Grandfather's tenure as the Commander of the Aurors."

"Wasn't that during the Grindelwald War. One of the handful that was witness the Dumbledore's and Grindelwald's Duel."

"Yes. Yes, he was." Amelia says quietly. Her family may have been nice and closely knit before Voldemort's Terror, but he had gotten to know that she'd been the closest to her grandfather. It was from him that she got the idea and the wish to join the Aurors, though, he doubted she'd ever thought of heading the entirety of the DMLE.

"Anything else that I've probably missed while working on autopilot?" Sirius asks curiously as he had noted that he tended to miss things when he did that. Though he was lucky that his staff tended to review things, not just before he got them, they reviewed what left his office as well. They learnt that after Delores tried to have somebody else send in what seemed like a benign creature aid initiative. But it turned out that it would primarily restrict the movement of some creatures. He had to stop doing that, things like that would more than likely get him into serious issues one day. And with the week he had, a part of him couldn't help but think that day would come sooner, rather than later.

"Not much, Moody is retiring from actual Auror work. He'll stop it if he finds somebody interesting to tutor at the academy over the next few years. But if he doesn't then he'll be retiring in two more summers I imagine. Dora's application's arrived on my desk. And Wyern gave me a report on their findings." She said it at a normal pace but sped over Dora.

"Wait, Moody is retiring?"

"Yes."

"But, he. He is not that old."

"Most people don't have to deal with the lack of a limb and the occasional pain of an artificial sensory organ." Amelia chided.

"Yeah. What was the other one, Wyern? What did he find?"

"That Gringotts Vault housed a small parcel from Flamel, to be retrieved by Dumbledore or a representative of his."

"Flamel. I recall the name, but not what for."

"Alchemy. He basically made it into what it is now known for. The Philosopher's Stone."

"Right. Eternal life, lead into gold. That sort of thing." Sirius said as he nodded along. "You think that was what Dumbledore wanted those leeways for?"

"I expect so. What else would he want with being allowed to bring in a Troll, mature Devil Snare, and what was the last one?"

"I believe its name was Snuffly." Sirius said with a contained smile.

"I swear if I'd know if it would knock it out of him, I'd give him a wand just so that he'd stop obsessing over these Quad-X and up creatures." Amelia said, without a hint of mockery. Sirius shifted around a bit as they noted the kids heading towards the greenhouses. Luckily, Regulus and Zahara were with their 'aunt' today. If not, Sirius were not sure if he should be worried about the kids, or the plants.

"I also said that Dora's application arrived on my desk." Amelia told him as she looked back at him.

"Dora? No, why would she send it in now? She's not even done at Hogwarts yet."

"She's in her last year. Her grades seem acceptable, if not perfect."

"But, she could have waited until she was done." Sirius said with a pout, just because he was an idiot and joined, doesn't mean she has to be. That, and he had a reason to join. The country was threading the line of war. They needed more men. Now, now the Auror's were big enough to deal with almost any uprising. They had captured quite a few dark family patriarchs. Chief amongst them, Avery. But there were at least a dozen or so that were still loose. But they just were not capable of capturing them without any actual evidence except the testimony of a Death Ether that had not used a truth potion.

* * *

Just a slight clarification here at the end. Lucius Malfoy is not imprisoned, I just don't think it'd work if he were imprisoned from the get go like that. And that's why Avery is the most important Death Eater that is imprisoned.


End file.
